Hedi Slimane - Designer

[Aurimas]

I am so glad and excited about these news. At least Hedi is back in fashion and his talent will not be wasted in time. Furthermore, I am very pleased that he is back particularly at LVMH Group, which is known for its distinctive artistic touch and level of quality. Since LVMH Group has brands like Dior I am happy that at Celine he will be able to kick ar**s of designers I hate like Kris Van Assche and Maria Grazia Chiuri because I have no doubt Bernard Arnault will compare their performace...

There is still nothing better than his Dior Homme for me personally. I did not like his Saint Laurent as much because I do not like Saint Laurent's DNA altogether. Nevertheless, I think he did not do bad at Saint Laurent too. Maybe not as good as at Dior Homme but still...

I know nothing about Celine so I am really curious what lies ahead. I read Celine does not have much of archives and history so he will probably have more opportunities to come up with something his own, it will be easier to make changes and set a direction. In addition, I think that Celine is relatively unknown and not too overhyped brand yet. Consequently, we can expect his first collections to be smaller scale production, higher quality and for more reasonable prices than, for example, Dior or Saint Laurent? Is not Celine something more of a niche and less commercial fashion house that as part of LVMH Group could still have access to higher quality production and materials because of LVMH Group's bargaining power to suppliers?

Anyway, I am glad he is not at Chanel. I hate Chanel, which became successful largely because of feminist movement and Gabrielle's pragmatic affairs with men and which lacks true feminine beauty, and which popularised cheap costume jewellery, suntan and other working class attributes. I think Chanel so overhyped and Chanel is definitely not for him too. Especially after Dior, which stands for totally opposite...

Hedi is obviously very ambitious so i wonder why they didn't offered him the Dior job. I find it so weird to have KVA and Hedi Slimane in the same group...

Because Hedi would hardly help to sell Dior any better. Dior already sells well. You can appoint at Dior almost anyone today and it will still sell well just because is it a famous brand. Berard Arnault wants to maximise revenues within the group. That is why he appoints a strong star designer like Hedi to a weak brand like Celine. Furthermore, it is good for Berard Arnault to have such strong star designer like Hedi in backup within the group so if Maria Grazia Chiuri's or Kris Van Assche flops after flops will suddenly start to kill revenues of Dior, then Berard Arnault will be able to quickly move Hedi to sort out the situation. At least I think Berard Arnault hopes so. Berard Arnault is probably also afraid of having a designer like Hedi in competing fashion house that does not belong to him. Maybe he already feels the coming death of Dior. Remember how John Galliano was only for several collections at Givenchy until he suddenly was moved to Dior?

 

[terrainvague]

Just wow at the post above this. You can't say mention Céline and then comment it as being "weak", "relatively unknown" and "not too overhyped". As shocking as this appointment of Hedi.

 

[Aurimas]

Just wow at the post above this. You can't say mention Céline and then comment it as being "weak", "relatively unknown" and "not too overhyped". As shocking as this appointment of Hedi.

Maybe because I am male.

 

[chanelh]

Karl has said many times that he has life-long contracts with Chanel & Fendi. I guess people believes him now.
Chanel doesn't need a proper, big menswear line.

i think people totally believe his life-time contracts, i am just really worried how the life-long will last.....my grandma can't even walk properly at this age, it's amazing he can still handle so much work. but for how long? i feel every show may be his last and just kind sad

 

[Jacque Marcel]

To go from YSL to Celine? That's sort of a downgrade in my opinion. Why doesn't he just start his own youth driven, jailbait house?

 

[disco54]

IF I see more skinny suits I am going to puke. Phoebe created very beautiful and iconic house codes , it will be hard to top her in Womenswear , I am sure he will do a great job in menswear though in terms of sales. If anything all this people who shop at YSL will now flock to Celine. Though his early work for YSL was good
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-RknaCEyXo

vs the cliched rocker sh!t which we associate him with now.
Honestly though I wish he stayed away from fashion, I feel he has dumbed fashion significantly. I am not expecting much from is debut collection considering his horrid debut at YSL.

 

[Mathewthew]

Im quite excited to see him at Celine, but we will be sure to miss the Philo-era. She's actually the one stand out as a designer in the last decade. It's quite funny to see Saint Laurent is still selling Hedi-era products heavily when he will create some for Celine. He sure knows how to put the wow effect on the accessories category, and Mr Arnault would really happy about that. Hedi has talent in a very different way then Phoebe and I don't think finding someone similar to Phoebe's aesthetic could work as no one can replace her. But the B&W photos, nah. Hahaha

 

[fashionista-ta]

Better than Jacquemus. I feel like Hedi will take Celine into a very adult direction. He can’t do the same thing he did at YSL. The menswear will be red hot. That was a very smart move for LVMH.

You're definitely an optimist My expectations for a 'very adult direction' from a guy who reportedly eats baby food and showed clothing appropriate to teenagers overcome with angst on the YSL runway are pretty low ...

I continue to think Jacquemus would have been a great choice for continuing with the codes Phoebe established.

 

[fashionista-ta]

Wow, what a shock! And not in a good way at all. Yet another gem for him to pollute! I hated what he did at SLP with that LA rocker thing, and Dior Homme, so for me the idea that he's adding menswear to Céline is blasphemous! And since contemporary consumers won't have any idea what Celine menswear actually stands for it gives him more reason for him to pull ideas from a hat.

He'll have to move to Paris for this job, surely. Too much at stake.

I believe the story said he would continue in LA and shuttle back and forth to Paris. I don't think LA is devoid of inspiration culturally ... perhaps from a strictly fashion perspective it is. However, Hedi's 'inspiration' appears to be rather static/one-note, so one would think he wouldn't need to be there for inspiration purposes ...

 

[Nomar]

Chanel is really commercial, always the same, uncreative clothes, everything is about the Setting and a brand Teenagers love, so I think Hedi would have been a better choice for Chanel than for Céline, where its actually about the clothes.

Completely agree! He would actually be a nice change for a brand like that by injecting some youth into it. I'm sure he could also make more appealing/trendy to the younger masses.

 

[bc collector]

To all of those who, in the Phoebe leaves Celine thread, were positive about Jacquemus having already signed the contract with Celine:

Fire your sources of information

 

[Fashionstuff]

i think people totally believe his life-time contracts, i am just really worried how the life-long will last.....my grandma can't even walk properly at this age, it's amazing he can still handle so much work. but for how long? i feel every show may be his last and just kind sad

Yes, it is very sad... i have same feeling, every show can be his last... Karl is fit for his age. But how long , more 3-5 years? I can't imagine fashion scene without Karl. But he is in perfect form, so we will see what he will offer us during couture week now.

I like Hedi Slimane, want see his Céline!

 

[June]

And again, my point of view is completely different than the majority's here...
I guess I belong to the target group of Philo's Céline, being a woman of 38 years of age? Yet I never understood why everyone was freaking out about her. I thought there were some nice things here and there but most of her designs were boring to me. There, I said it. I know, I'm blasphemous...
When Hedi left Saint Laurent I felt a bit sad because - yes, there were too much slip dresses which I do like but aren't the epitome of design - but I liked his aesthetics! I don't expect him to go on at Céline where he left at Saint Laurent (I personally wouldn't be mad if he did) but I'm eager to see what he has in store for that label! I'm actually really happy about these news.

 

[Your Anchor]

Hedi's never one of my faves yet surprisingly I'm looking forward to seeing what he's gonna do to/for this house.

Hedi Slimane is to lead Céline into men’s wear, couture and fragrance

Now finally the Menswear! For years i've been trying to picture what Celine Menswear would look like...under Phoebe's reign though.

 

[Rigida]

I'm not keeping my expectation high, either it's going to be amazing or it's going to be Maria Grazia for Dior bad

 

[Lola701]

I am so glad and excited about these news. At least Hedi is back in fashion and his talent will not be wasted in time. Furthermore, I am very pleased that he is back particularly at LVMH Group, which is known for its distinctive artistic touch and level of quality. Since LVMH Group has brands like Dior I am happy that at Celine he will be able to kick ar**s of designers I hate like Kris Van Assche and Maria Grazia Chiuri because I have no doubt Bernard Arnault will compare their performace...

Why would he compare a 2 B house (Dior) with a 700 M house like Celine. Different scales, different brands, different strategies. Dior is doing womenswear, menswear, childrenswear, haute-joaillerie, beauty.
Celine is only doing womenswear for now and will add menswear and beauty. There's no need to compare. But he will sure compare what Clare is doing at Givenchy with Hedi as both houses are in the same space.

I know nothing about Celine so I am really curious what lies ahead. I read Celine does not have much of archives and history so he will probably have more opportunities to come up with something his own, it will be easier to make changes and set a direction. In addition, I think that Celine is relatively unknown and not too overhyped brand yet. Consequently, we can expect his first collections to be smaller scale production, higher quality and for more reasonable prices than, for example, Dior or Saint Laurent? Is not Celine something more of a niche and less commercial fashion house that as part of LVMH Group could still have access to higher quality production and materials because of LVMH Group's bargaining power to suppliers?

Celine do have an history as it was created even before Christian Dior and they do have some archives as Phoebe was able to pull some things from that.
Celine has always been the very bourgeois french RTW label. Sure, for Hedi and because he is who he is, it will be easier to do a 180° from what Phoebe did.

Maybe you have lived under the rock for the past 10 years but Celine IS THE MOST INFLUENCIAL AND IMPORTANT fashion house of this decade. What Phoebe did also influenced menswear as she was the one who introduced the big coats and wider shapes that we have seen for the past years.

There's no need for a smaller scale production with a 700M brand. This is luxury, there are no reasonable prices but yes, Celine in terms of price point is closer to Givenchy and Loewe than some of the most outrageous pieces at Saint Laurent. But, Celine doesn't have a Couture heritage...So, a 20000Euros feather dress is not really part of the DNA.

And remember, this is Hedi, this is LVMH.

Anyway, I am glad he is not at Chanel. I hate Chanel, which became successful largely because of feminist movement and Gabrielle's pragmatic affairs with men and which lacks true feminine beauty, and which popularised cheap costume jewellery, suntan and other working class attributes. I think Chanel so overhyped and Chanel is definitely not for him too. Especially after Dior, which stands for totally opposite...

While your first part of the comment is quite confusing, Chanel is actually closer to Hedi's aesthetic than Saint Laurent. Beyond Karl's adoration for Hedi, there are many commom points in Hedi and Chanel aesthetic. That's why it's a pair that has always had people excited....Myself included, but that's before he took Saint Laurent.

Hedi would hardly help to sell Dior any better. Dior already sells well. You can appoint at Dior almost anyone today and it will still sell well just because is it a famous brand. Berard Arnault wants to maximise revenues within the group. That is why he appoints a strong star designer like Hedi to a weak brand like Celine. Furthermore, it is good for Berard Arnault to have such strong star designer like Hedi in backup within the group so if Maria Grazia Chiuri's or Kris Van Assche flops after flops will suddenly start to kill revenues of Dior, then Berard Arnault will be able to quickly move Hedi to sort out the situation. At least I think Berard Arnault hopes so. Berard Arnault is probably also afraid of having a designer like Hedi in competing fashion house that does not belong to him. Maybe he already feels the coming death of Dior. Remember how John Galliano was only for several collections at Givenchy until he suddenly was moved to Dior?

There are always possiblities of growth. It's not about selling, most of the brands in the LVMH group are selling well, it's about finding new opportunities.
Dior is in a such identity crisis that for me, having Hedi there wouldn't have that bad. MGC is doing a lackluster version of his work and KVA has been living off his legacy for a decade now and compared to Celine, he already has all the structures in place.

And Celine, a weak brand?
I don't think MGC or KVA will kill Dior. If Dior managed to overcome the Galliano debacle, nothing will kill them.

Galliano moving to Dior in the 90's was a total different situation. LVMH then and LVMH now are two totally different things.

 

[Phuel]

Best fashion news in years.

Hedi has vision that will be copied by countless brands-- not just hype, gimmicks or a big straw hat. He's always been the real thing.

 

[Les_Sucettes]

To go from YSL to Celine? That's sort of a downgrade in my opinion. Why doesn't he just start his own youth driven, jailbait house?

I’ve been saying this for ages, it’s baffling why he does not have his own brand, he would be hugely successful. Instead he “pollutes” , to use Ben’s word, this major labels with his own vision with no consideration whatsoever for their legacy.

 

[Lola701]

^^
He has said many times that he is not interested in doing his own line. Before he left Dior Homme, he was offered by LVMH the possibility to have his own line.

He seems to be one of those who cherish his freedom and having his own line mean being attached to something.

 

[RedSmokeRise]

I wonder what Cathy Horyn thinks of this news LOL.