Hedi Slimane - Designer

[Foxie-Pooh]

so much for shooting the fragrance ads 2 years in advance...

 

[Lola701]

Challenges (French business publication owned at 40% by Arnault) released a paper on the exit of Hedi.
The article is quite long to translate with accuracy….
But basically, Hedi left because of strategic differences and power issues and with the CEO of Celine (Séverine Merle) is at the root of the issue.

He got too much power and basically being responsible of everything didn’t left much room for her.
Apparently Hedi wasn’t consulted for cancellation of the Celine show last year. He was even more frustrated when Alaïa managed to hold a show.
They also mention the fact that Lisa was supposed to be the face of Celine beauté.

LVMH wanted Hedi to stay but he decided to leave.

So, I suspect that the random releases of the collections since last year were probably done without the approval of the CEO.

So hopefully, the CEO will have more space without the omnipotent designer that is Hedi.


This is an ongoing issues with designers tbh at that level of power. You can’t have two stars in a big brand.

 

[blueorchid]

They also mention the fact that Lisa was supposed to be the face of Celine beauté.

Of course...

 

[MulletProof]

^ wait and Hedi declined? first read it as the other way around, which would be odd considering how he tried to cover her face at all costs..

I knew the tantrum over cancelling the show for safety reasons (protests) while another designer lands in a more favorable situation in a matter of hours/days would not be something he can so easily let go of.

 

[Lola701]

Of course...

^ wait and Hedi declined? first read it as the other way around, which would be odd considering how he tried to cover her face at all costs..

I knew the tantrum over cancelling the show for safety reasons (protests) while another designer lands in a more favorable situation in a matter of hours/days would not be something he can so easily let go of.

No actually, it became an issue because Guerlain wanted her to be the face of their make-up (and I think she ended up having some kind of social media « ad » with them) when the project of Celine beauté was in the works and he considered that it was the duty of the CEO to fight for the exclusivity of the talent.

 

[Jacque Marcel]

Omg, the Lisa drama lol. Did she jump ship to LV cause she knew he wasn't going to be at Celine much longer? Anyway, would love to see Hedi at Burberry. That brand needs help and good bags.

 

[PDFSD]

Challenges (French business publication owned at 40% by Arnault) released a paper on the exit of Hedi.
The article is quite long to translate with accuracy….
But basically, Hedi left because of strategic differences and power issues and with the CEO of Celine (Séverine Merle) is at the root of the issue.

He got too much power and basically being responsible of everything didn’t left much room for her.
Apparently Hedi wasn’t consulted for cancellation of the Celine show last year. He was even more frustrated when Alaïa managed to hold a show.
They also mention the fact that Lisa was supposed to be the face of Celine beauté.

LVMH wanted Hedi to stay but he decided to leave.

So, I suspect that the random releases of the collections since last year were probably done without the approval of the CEO.

So hopefully, the CEO will have more space without the omnipotent designer that is Hedi.


This is an ongoing issues with designers tbh at that level of power. You can’t have two stars in a big brand.

Ceo `s want to be also the stars since they see other ones get credit for the success of other brands, for fashion creativity should lead once brand positioning/direction is decided pre or upon hiring, suits ruining allot as they think creativity is replaced like a ceo or store staff.

Good for Hedi he walk away he knows he can redo whatever he did again Bravo!!!!!

 

[PDFSD]

​

https://www.challenges.fr/entreprise/revelations-sur-les-conditions-du-depart-d-hedi-slimane-de-celine_907639​

Revelations on the conditions of Hedi Slimane's departure from Celine​

By Claire Bouleau on09.10.2024 at 16:41, updated on 09.10.2024 at 7:10 p.m.Subscribers
INVESTIGATION – The departure of artistic director Hedi Slimane from Celine, announced on Wednesday October 2, reveals the strategic divergences between management and creation in the LVMH group house.

Hedi Slimane greets the audience at the end of the Celine Homme Spring/Summer 2020 fashion show presentation in June 2019, in Paris.
AFP / ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT

Regulars in the Sentier district of Paris have probably already walked past the imposing black carriage entrance that stands proudly under number 16 rue Vivienne. When you push the handle, you enter the sumptuous Hôtel Colbert de Torcy, a 17th - century building listed as a historic monument. For ten years, it has housed the headquarters of the fashion house Celine, owned by the LVMH group (shareholder of Challenges ). If its stone walls could talk, they would tell the story of that day in late 2014 when they saw all the employees move in, enthusiastic, their boxes under their arms. They would describe three years later, that other day when the then artistic director, the famous British Phoebe Philo, packed her bags, leaving the place to her successor Hedi Slimane . They would say how, under the latter's leadership, turnover has increased fivefold in seven years, from 500 million euros in 2018 to 2.5 billion today, according to our information. And then they would talk, in recent times, about the voices that are raised, the doors that slam and the farewells of the star designer to the rue Vivienne .

Several employees summoned​

Because on Wednesday, October 2, at 12 noon, a press release was released, announcing what had been expected for months: the departure of the director of artistic creation and image. Three hours later, another official communication revealed the name of his successor: Michael Rider, who worked at Celine from 2008 to 2018 where he was design director alongside Phoebe Philo before becoming creative director of the women's line at Polo Ralph Lauren. Since then, on the second floor of number 16, where Celine's creative studio is located, the atmosphere has been heavy.
.........

paywall i can't hack now lol

 

[HigthaVandah]

publication owned at 40% by Arnault….
Hedi left because of strategic differences and power issues and with the CEO of Celine...
He got too much power and basically being responsible of everything didn’t left much room for her...
LVMH wanted Hedi to stay but he decided to leave.

Is Arnault going to bother to fire Merle directly, or is he just going to wait until she finds out about this article?

 

[HigthaVandah]

Celine took down Hedi's 'Olfactory Diary'. Now I kinda wish I'd saved it.

 

[Kimihiro]

Celine Beauté, Lisa and the Asian market?

Say what you want about that but that would’ve been huge.

 

[Lola701]

Ceo `s want to be also the stars since they see other ones get credit for the success of other brands, for fashion creativity should lead once brand positioning/direction is decided pre or upon hiring, suits ruining allot as they think creativity is replaced like a ceo or store staff.

Good for Hedi he walk away he knows he can redo whatever he did again Bravo!!!!!

Oh, totally! And you see how the tandem designer/CEO has been sold as the key to success when in fact sometimes, it’s far from reality. Was Paul Deneve and Isabelle Guichot really instrumental in the success of YSL and Balenciaga? I don’t think so…

I totally understand Hedi in some ways. Sometimes, you have to be a Pavlovsky, a Gobbetti and others profiles like that…

But then again, I don’t think having your studio in St Tropez, when you are taking over a 500 Millions brand with huge expectations in terms of growth and therefore a huge personal investment, is sending a peaceful message.

In reality, it shrink the power of decision of the CEO to nothing. Hedi had a 360 involvement and on top of that, I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that he used his direct line to Toledano/Arnault instead of dealing with Merle.

Is Arnault going to bother to fire Merle directly, or is he just going to wait until she finds out about this article?

Obviously she stayed at the end. They are not going to fire her because she spent most of her career in the group. Now that Celine is the third brand in the group, there’s nothing higher for her at this point.
And she probably read the article already. All the sources are anonymous anyway so it’s just a deep dive article on the subject.

All they got to do is work and de-personalize Celine.

 

[tourbillions]

i wonder how could anyone build up celine from hedi's celine. Seems difficult since its so particular to him and he didnt really develop a celine aesthetic, it was all just hedi. hope the new celine guy has some ideas. Either go michele route and do a complete turn around or vacarello route and add his aesthetic slowly. I guess its even worst that hedi didnt do much shows, no one really knows the celine aeshetic except for the glimpse we get from his videos.

 

[GivenchyAddict]

^ I think the latter tbh. A variation of Hedi’s doing.

The way Hedi operates and with success makes it hard to just change everything completely even more now when sales are slower.

They will not take the risk to jeopardise a well oiled business now imo. That’s the risk when brands hire Hedi, it is hard to get rid of him even when he is physically no longer at the helm.

 

[Kimihiro]

There’s Saint Laurent as a reference.

Actually I find it easy. It’s all staples and basics. You can just build on top of that gradually. It might be a slow transition. Of course we know it’s Hedi, but with how minimal his stuff was I don’t think it’s that perceptible to a common luxury consumer.

 

[Lola701]

i wonder how could anyone build up celine from hedi's celine. Seems difficult since its so particular to him and he didnt really develop a celine aesthetic, it was all just hedi. hope the new celine guy has some ideas. Either go michele route and do a complete turn around or vacarello route and add his aesthetic slowly. I guess its even worst that hedi didnt do much shows, no one really knows the celine aeshetic except for the glimpse we get from his videos.

If we go to the brief that has been Celine (in a superficial way a luxurious Ralph Lauren, it creates a room to build on.
Celine by Hedi is separated heavy, a lot of styling and a huge 60’s/70’s flair (except for the first collection and the TikTok collections).

I actually think that what Hedi proposed in the last 4 seasons is easier to build from.

But I think to preserve the integrity of the house, it’s better to not change everything now. At Saint Laurent, they did things gradually but I don’t think Vaccarello has a strong distinctive taste that is that much different from Hedi anyway.

It will be interesting to see the progression with Rider.
I think complete turn around hurts brands.

Consistency is also a factor in the success of the biggest brands. And it creates a good frame to actually express yourself through design.

 

[Norden]

They should be thanking him a lot. He built an amazing foundation with nice classics. You can have more out there collections on top of this to create novelty and fashion.

 

[Lola701]

They should be thanking him a lot. He built an amazing foundation with nice classics. You can have more out there collections on top of this to create novelty and fashion.

They can’t do more than they have already done: a huge salary and total creative control + all the ressources to execute his vision.

 

[tourbillions]

yeah he definitely made it easier to seperate celine from all the philo-bots that emerged. Sad that it all fell through even after getting everything he wants, I thought it was gonna be his Chanel.

 

[Norden]

They can’t do more than they have already done: a huge salary and total creative control + all the ressources to execute his vision.

Ofcourse. He’s been very privileged. I meant it more in a way that Hedi built a great foundation which in a way is much more interesting to build on than to overhaul as a singular fashion proposition.
I’m very done with these creative directors blank slating everything. Ironically Hedi has done the same.