Celine S/S 2024 Paris

[IloveDiorHomme]

Creative wise : this collection has 0 interest.
If you are a fashion student or a fashion museum curator there is not a single piece with interest.

Business wise : THIS IS GENIUS.

It’s what your average girl wants to wear. Giving her a whole garde-robe.

I hate to admit it but this sales wise, this is art.
I can totally see all those looks happening in the real world.

 

[PierreGotha]

Was it me or were a lot of the bags in this show quite Chanel looking?

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CELINE

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CELINE

I think this is deliberate.

LVMH wants to divert the Chanel Client (or Newer clients) into Celine.
Chanel is becoming notorious for its ongoing price hikes and quality issues.

 

[Cocteau Stone]

Very accessible, very well made and yet very fleeting.

I want to say it's Hedi being Hedi, but the point of this just doesn't really have much to it for me to feel like it is really worth presenting or having. Guess it is very in line with the K-Pop and TikTok crew the brand fanbase manages to court in the end, plus the whole idea of catering to a lifestyle. But what lifestyle is this? A rather monotonous and vanilla one. Expensively monotonous. Like @IloveDiorHomme says, it really is an exemplary display of the art of selling and merchandising.

The bags are very Chanel-esque, made more obvious by the fact that the logo of the C's is very similar looking to the Chanel logo.

 

[Lola701]

I despise what he does there, always have and always will.

He had such a vision at Dior Homme, I will never get over how mediocre his proposal has become over the years.

He's like those people who were once cool but can't swallow that they're getting older. He's forever stuck in 2007 with his perception of what "cool" is, the more years go by the more embarrassing it is to witness. He will always be a stylist for me, not a designer.

Good for the business if that type of stuff sells I guess. But to me, the Celine client is just the cousin of the Dior by MGC client. They think they're cool, but they're dressed by a has-been.

You know what, your commentary made me think about that curse almost that designers have. When you was great, captured a moment in time and was the definition of fashion with a capital F, there’s always this kind of pressure as a designer to maintain that momentum or to evolve and move on.

I think that Hedi as a designer has totally evolved from his Dior Homme days. I’m not sure that he is interested in doing something new or to challenge the revolution he made in fashion 20 years ago. More than that, I think that his clothes reflects his philosophy in fashion which is perfect cut, perfect fabrics, perfect quality but terribly ready to wear. That’s his interpretation of that.

Nostalgia is heavy in fashion and no matter what, I think the exterior pressure makes it hard sometimes for designers to evolve. We saw Tom Ford struggled during 10 years at his own house because obviously people wanted the Gucci/YSL days while he had moved on from that. And the few attempts he did to recapture that moment never really felt like it. We see Nicolas who has totally made piece with his past at Balenciaga and continue to propose a very strong fashion proposition at the biggest luxury brand in the world but people seems to have been stuck in the Balenciaga days. Donatella ironically is having a huge commercial success at a time when she is the least interesting creatively. Versace between 2007/2012 was kind of exceptional.

I’ve never been convinced by Hedi Slimane as a womenswear designer because this is a very familiar look for anyone who has lived in France. There’s this archetype of women who wore that look with pieces from Isabel Marant, Vanessa Bruno and Gerard Darel. That woman still exists but her children dresses the same way funny enough…And Celine represents the aspirational version of that.

I still loves his menswear because it’s very unique in itself. Even when it’s very banal looking, you cannot find any alternative to it.

But your comment really asks the bigger question around the designers we love/loved. And I’m not sure a lot of people loves to see designers evolving as much as they pretend.

 

[Nimsay]

Yes I noticed the new iteration of the Triomphe looks like a double C from afar.

 

[RaisinBoy]

Hedi never got over the dact theybdidnt callmhim to do Chanel. But one of Karl’s last wishes was NOT to have Hedi in the house.
Hedi’s contract is up in 2024 so we’ll see if he stays or “leaves”.

 

[SpeedRacer666]

Hedi never got over the dact theybdidnt callmhim to do Chanel. But one of Karl’s last wishes was NOT to have Hedi in the house.
Hedi’s contract is up in 2024 so we’ll see if he stays or “leaves”.

Hedi is not on such a contract and I highly doubt Karl would request such things considering how close the two were.

 

[Nimsay]

Karl was a Hedi die-hard. If he were still here he would be in head to toe Celine.

I do think Hedi is a bit delusional and Celine is the best he will ever get. I dont know how his full control would work on Chanel skincare for example. That has nothing to do with fashion and is more chemistry.

 

[Kimihiro]

Karl was a Hedi die-hard. If he were still here he would be in head to toe Celine.

I do think Hedi is a bit delusional and Celine is the best he will ever get. I dont know how his full control would work on Chanel skincare for example. That has nothing to do with fashion and is more chemistry.

If he wasn’t such a control freak maybe he could’ve gotten Chanel. He’s perfect to dust it off a bit but then we buy him for the strong vision so i don’t know…

 

[tricotineacetat]

Karl was a Hedi die-hard. If he were still here he would be in head to toe Celine.

I do think Hedi is a bit delusional and Celine is the best he will ever get. I dont know how his full control would work on Chanel skincare for example. That has nothing to do with fashion and is more chemistry.

If he wasn’t such a control freak maybe he could’ve gotten Chanel. He’s perfect to dust it off a bit but then we buy him for the strong vision so i don’t know…

As with all designers, it ultimately depends on the success of his Celine if that will be "the best he will ever get" - What do you think CEOs are doing, a stewardship over a brand much like a curator, placing a designer first and foremost for how they artistically fit with a brand? If a designer provides a convincing track record and brand concept, all is possible.

 

[RaisinBoy]

Hedi is not on such a contract and I highly doubt Karl would request such things considering how close the two were.

Exactly!! The fact they were so close drove Karl crazy to think Hedi would do a better Chanel than him. Hence he banned Hedi at Chanel.
And yes Hedi’s contract expires in 2024.

 

[Kimihiro]

As with all designers, it ultimately depends on the success of his Celine if that will be "the best he will ever get" - What do you think CEOs are doing, a stewardship over a brand much like a curator, placing a designer first and foremost for how they artistically fit with a brand? If a designer provides a convincing track record and brand concept, all is possible.

I guess you have a point. Nothing like an audition piece for unprecedented control of a megabrand than creating another megabrand out of a relatively boutique brand with full, unprecedented creative control. After all Hedi‘s already doing diet Chanel at Celine particularly with the bags.

I just can’t see how he’d do beauty well. Even just his photography doesn’t cut it for the glossy stuff they send out for the beauty dept. His vision is too narrow and beauty is more universal. His womenswear is limited, but I could take that over Viard‘s frumpiness. So yes, anything is possible.

What really I want is Chanel Homme by Hedi Slimane. That would be exquisite. Something of a more sharp, androgynous and discreet answer to Chanel womenswear like how his DH was to Galliano’s Dior.

 

[Phuel]

And I’m not sure a lot of people loves to see designers evolving as much as they pretend.

Always got the impression that people mean creatively evolving as a designer—not evolving as a profitable brand. Most people judge a designer’s offering by the styled looks of a show— including the showpieces, and not by the separates and staples that will inevitably convince customers to pay for and keep the brand in business. (Creative evolutions doesn't sustain a brand and pay its bills….)

To remain constantly evolving creatively, 20+ years into an extremely successful career doesn’t make much sense, frankly. 20+ years into a career is more about maintaining that brand's status. A brand like McQueen was that ideal exemplifier of how a visionary brand began with the man himself, and ended with Sarah’s pragmatic, and still impressive offering: from a masterclass in unleashed defiance of pure creative and design vision, to a masterclass of bespoke refinement— sustained by profitable merch. Whereas a personal fav Tom Ford began with the masterclass of elegant rebel from his Gucci/YSL to his own namesake, to what is now a rather… soulless Vegas residency of his rehashed signatures: Frida Giannini is a creative visionary next to Peter Hawkins, as far as I'm concerned. But both McQueen and Tom Ford brands are a testament to the evolution of a brand. Because as much as unimpressive as Peter’s Tom Ford nostalgic-baiting branding is, I’m sure there will always be a suit, a polo, a coat that I will be drawn to when I’m in the shop. And with Hedi, there’s a lot of separates, a lot of options for everyone when they’re shopping at his Celine (and who buys an entire collection anyway???). And the men that grew up on his Dior Homme— and I’m one of them, have moved on a long time ago. We no longer need or look towards Hedi to fuel our indulgences (and definitely not his Celine in my case). Although even with Dior Homme— and rose-tainted glasses aside, there were already the merch of denims/leathers/sneakers brand sustainability by the late-2000s. It’s not that different from his SL and Celine. He’s evolved much more than many other designers of his era in that sense — even personal favs Lucas Ossendrjver/Neil Barrett/Stefano Pilati comes to mind as having been forgotten by the wayside.

 

[Lola701]

Always got the impression that people mean creatively evolving as a designer—not evolving as a profitable brand. Most people judge a designer’s offering by the styled looks of a show— including the showpieces, and not by the separates and staples that will inevitably convince customers to pay for and keep the brand in business. (Creative evolutions doesn't sustain a brand and pay its bills….)

To remain constantly evolving creatively, 20+ years into an extremely successful career doesn’t make much sense, frankly. 20+ years into a career is more about maintaining that brand's status. A brand like McQueen was that ideal exemplifier of how a visionary brand began with the man himself, and ended with Sarah’s pragmatic, and still impressive offering: from a masterclass in unleashed defiance of pure creative and design vision, to a masterclass of bespoke refinement— sustained by profitable merch. Whereas a personal fav Tom Ford began with the masterclass of elegant rebel from his Gucci/YSL to his own namesake, to what is now a rather… soulless Vegas residency of his rehashed signatures: Frida Giannini is a creative visionary next to Peter Hawkins, as far as I'm concerned. But both McQueen and Tom Ford brands are a testament to the evolution of a brand. Because as much as unimpressive as Peter’s Tom Ford nostalgic-baiting branding is, I’m sure there will always be a suit, a polo, a coat that I will be drawn to when I’m in the shop. And with Hedi, there’s a lot of separates, a lot of options for everyone when they’re shopping at his Celine (and who buys an entire collection anyway???). And the men that grew up on his Dior Homme— and I’m one of them, have moved on a long time ago. We no longer need or look towards Hedi to fuel our indulgences (and definitely not his Celine in my case). Although even with Dior Homme— and rose-tainted glasses aside, there were already the merch of denims/leathers/sneakers brand sustainability by the late-2000s. It’s not that different from his SL and Celine. He’s evolved much more than many other designers of his era in that sense — even personal favs Lucas Ossendrjver/Neil Barrett/Stefano Pilati comes to mind as having been forgotten by the wayside.

I was talking about evolving on a creative side. I’m someone who is willing to embrace the creative journey of a designer.
I think it’s a matter of honesty and it’s something that I think we can all feel.

I bought Tom Ford womenswear from the first season. While I was critical of a lot of Tom’s work, I also liked a lot of pieces and 2 of his own collections are among my favorite collections of the 2010´s and of his body of work.
And I think I was willing to appreciate some of his work because I understood that it wasn’t Gucci or YSL but the world wanted him to recapture the spirit of something that was done. When you look at his work for Gucci, YSL and his own brand, you recognize a difference but you see the same hand if it makes sense.

The same way, I love Nicolas and continue to buy his clothes. Vuitton is not Balenciaga and his intention at Vuitton is different. And in his case, I have the same feeling about his work at Vuitton as I had with Balenciaga because it was always about challenging our POV. I mean we aren’t going to pretend that Spring 2007 was received with acclaim right away. We aren’t going to pretend that him and MAS didn’t pushed the limits of styling and bad taste already..Fall 2012 anyone?

The contrary is maybe Prada because we all feel like the evolution is not organic and seems dictated by commerce.
The reason why she is not the taste maker she was is maybe because she has stopped taking risks. Any risk she takes is diluted by a triangle logo somewhere on pieces.

But I really subscribe to your POV.

 

[Drusilla_]

Hedi after that first big risk in the 00s, never took another one - but why would he, when he has a good understanding of what sells and makes the products to back it up?

Sometimes I feel like a dash of that strong sense of product is needed over at Prada again, they had it and now it's just logos on everything despite some actually solid ideas and collections.