Michael Rider - Designer, Creative Director of Celine

[Grets]

That baby poo biker onesie is disgusting 🤮

 

[Kimihiro]

Hedi talked about this transition from the conceptual to more analog. Thus the whole more basic items but of course done well. I loved it when he was more conceptual—Rive Gauche Homme, Early-Dior Homme and even the last Dior collection. I never liked his SAINT LAURENT menswear (more analogue) except for the jackets and shoes, and I feel like Celine Homme is a welcome improvement. I feel like his second go round at YSL it was more of a creative project than designing clothes.

I know from several Hedi customers though that they’d rather the menswear was more like his Celine woman and people here want it the other way around.

I won’t pass judgement on Rider, it’s still a long road ahead and the brand has found its footing. I just don’t know if it’s right to make it more adult but then the Hedi Celine girl aged already in 6 years he’s been there.

 

[Lola701]

honestly i like his women's wear at ysl and celine you can get a hot sharp suit to a sexy dess to a very old school formal dress , i think mostly what people cant relate with hedi is the rock and roll /indie /punk /wave/glam rock etc ...side of his clothes because music/that style for most people have moved on to other things.

what i know from his team is hedi is obsessed with discovering new music youth subcultures , because thats the way reailty can live with his clothes when they are informed by a set rules and codes and style.

i get that ...i know many don't want or care about the research and meaning of things and like the end product and vague association is enough.

thing with hedi is you have to be very nerdy about things to appreciate it fully. its like guys with music equipments or watches ...they can be annoying but thats separate from the designer and his vision for me.

i find michael rider mens and womens design terribly mid and lack of vision, while hedi early first ysl collections even pre dior where more pure and strong and had direction and vision ...in 2025 i find this more a problem than any bad hedi womens collection.

You think so?
I think music is a selling point. Sure I don’t want to look like a groupie and I don’t know many women who would but his shows are always super-entertaining (when he is doing shows and not those epileptic videos).
And I have added many songs that were part of his soundtracks in my playlist…From his time at DH to Celine. His shows gives another dimension to some music.
Now when I listen to Nico, I have the Celine show in my head. Even the La Femme song from his debut collection was terribly engaging. I think even of his LA Saint Laurent show. The soundtrack was fantastic.

The reality is that good suits and sexy dresses is something that a lot of women can get anywhere from their favorite designers.

And even if I think he is a fantastic stylist, the styling he does for menswear is a lot more daring, fresh than what he does for womenswear. The look I bought was totally that.


I know he can cut a mean blazer. I remember when Carine Roitfeld was on Quotidien, I recognized the cut of Hedi. So much so that I went to Celine’s website to have a look.
It was during the time when they were pushing the sulky (instead of the triomphe) and I remember liking the whole vibe.

He hasn’t create a lot of « to die for » moments in womenswear despite having a strong vision. I think his farewell at Saint Laurent was probably that first time that I heard some friends saying « oh I want to wear that » and his second show at Celine was when I heard « I want to look this chic or cool ».

But then again I’m from the generation that started to buy his menswear because we were jealous of men looking this cool. I don’t think a lot of men have that feeling about his womenswear…They would rather have him make Chanel menswear LOL.

 

[PDFSD]

You think so?
I think music is a selling point. Sure I don’t want to look like a groupie and I don’t know many women who would but his shows are always super-entertaining (when he is doing shows and not those epileptic videos).
And I have added many songs that were part of his soundtracks in my playlist…From his time at DH to Celine. His shows gives another dimension to some music.
Now when I listen to Nico, I have the Celine show in my head. Even the La Femme song from his debut collection was terribly engaging. I think even of his LA Saint Laurent show. The soundtrack was fantastic.

The reality is that good suits and sexy dresses is something that a lot of women can get anywhere from their favorite designers.

And even if I think he is a fantastic stylist, the styling he does for menswear is a lot more daring, fresh than what he does for womenswear. The look I bought was totally that.
View attachment 1396977

I know he can cut a mean blazer. I remember when Carine Roitfeld was on Quotidien, I recognized the cut of Hedi. So much so that I went to Celine’s website to have a look.
It was during the time when they were pushing the sulky (instead of the triomphe) and I remember liking the whole vibe.

He hasn’t create a lot of « to die for » moments in womenswear despite having a strong vision. I think his farewell at Saint Laurent was probably that first time that I heard some friends saying « oh I want to wear that » and his second show at Celine was when I heard « I want to look this chic or cool ».

But then again I’m from the generation that started to buy his menswear because we were jealous of men looking this cool. I don’t think a lot of men have that feeling about his womenswear…They would rather have him make Chanel menswear LOL.

i like the music being the fundamental part that sets the tone of each era or collection.
but for most people consuming fashion its a by product few are into the bands he is featuring ..the critice i would have on Hedi approach is the people he takes the style from can't afford his clothes for most part these kids get free stuff to show up at the celine show which is nice but they don't go to shops to buy stuff in high numbers .

so in away the subcultures get commercialized via his work to an audience that see it at groupie dressing or cos play , you can see in the photo diary he does the original version the kids wear from his collection are vintage pieces while he documents them he tales from these styles and remakes it (the taking from reality part of his direction post Dior )

I think his womenswear is from a menswear approach meaning the dresses are almost like a toiled suit but in form of a dress if you notice where as mens can go all out because he said there are more rules to brake , so in a sense his woman's wear is more the opposite which is restrained because so much has been done for women's wear

his girls and woman are tomboys in dresses if you noticed verry betty , hardy , birkin they all had that tom boy french girl side i find sexy
why also vaccarello sexed up version of hedi style did well because its more obviously womanly even a straight men gets it.

i am jealous of hedi black dresses for girl wish i had the shaved legs for it :-)
till today it works these and also 30 years ago and there is a lot of restrain similar to menswear boredom seamingly classicism boredom.
no make up most of the time no extra jwl no need to be obvious sexy or sl*tty or in your face ..matter of fact hiding of the face with hair
ILOVE

 

[tricotineacetat]

You think so?
I think music is a selling point. Sure I don’t want to look like a groupie and I don’t know many women who would but his shows are always super-entertaining (when he is doing shows and not those epileptic videos).
And I have added many songs that were part of his soundtracks in my playlist…From his time at DH to Celine. His shows gives another dimension to some music.
Now when I listen to Nico, I have the Celine show in my head. Even the La Femme song from his debut collection was terribly engaging. I think even of his LA Saint Laurent show. The soundtrack was fantastic.

The reality is that good suits and sexy dresses is something that a lot of women can get anywhere from their favorite designers.

And even if I think he is a fantastic stylist, the styling he does for menswear is a lot more daring, fresh than what he does for womenswear. The look I bought was totally that.
View attachment 1396977

I know he can cut a mean blazer. I remember when Carine Roitfeld was on Quotidien, I recognized the cut of Hedi. So much so that I went to Celine’s website to have a look.
It was during the time when they were pushing the sulky (instead of the triomphe) and I remember liking the whole vibe.

He hasn’t create a lot of « to die for » moments in womenswear despite having a strong vision. I think his farewell at Saint Laurent was probably that first time that I heard some friends saying « oh I want to wear that » and his second show at Celine was when I heard « I want to look this chic or cool ».

But then again I’m from the generation that started to buy his menswear because we were jealous of men looking this cool. I don’t think a lot of men have that feeling about his womenswear…They would rather have him make Chanel menswear LOL.

I don‘t know, perhaps women don't go as deep into the heart of tailoring but for me, a 'women‘s pant suit' and a sartorial men‘s suit are two very fundamentally different things. It‘s as if you assign a Chanel Haute Couture seamstress from the tailleur department to make a suit - Everything from the cut of the pattern to the way it is made does not compare to the tradition of menswear.

One thing I will also say is that there is a very specific feel about Hedi‘s suits and that is a feeling of putting on something with quite a 'ceremonial formality' - Such as the parade uniforms worn by the military or the robes of a judge at court - That comes from the very dry-handed suiting that quite often happens to be mohair, besides the obvious canvassing.

All of these nuances are felt when you care to seek for 'the soul' of a garment - Just as much as I could tell by the way it hangs on the body if it‘s by Ann Demeulemeester, to name another designer with a very particular expression.

 

[tricotineacetat]

I think his womenswear is from a menswear approach meaning the dresses are almost like a toiled suit but in form of a dress if you notice where as mens can go all out because he said there are more rules to brake , so in a sense his woman's wear is more the opposite which is restrained because so much has been done for women's wear

Funny, I thought I was the only one seeing that - Nice to know other people have the same thoughts from looking at somebody else‘s work!

 

[PDFSD]

Funny, I thought I was the only one seeing that - Nice to know other people have the same thoughts from looking at somebody else‘s work!

lola forced me to think what i like about it as I never had to explain it to my IRL friends... it was i love hedi´s way of doing things period! lol

that's why i decided to start writing here as it forced me to explain it even with all my spelling error´s (i always see afterwards )or AI tone of voice :-)

 

[Lola701]

I don‘t know, perhaps women don't go as deep into the heart of tailoring but for me, a 'women‘s pant suit' and a sartorial men‘s suit are two very fundamentally different things. It‘s as if you assign a Chanel Haute Couture seamstress from the tailleur department to make a suit - Everything from the cut of the pattern to the way it is made does not compare to the tradition of menswear.

Oh they are very different indeed. Some women can pull off a man suit as it is but for others, no.
For example for the suit I had to take a bigger size to the standard men size for the pants to have altered. For the blazer, the cut was to my taste.

But I have to admit that I’m much more indulgent towards myself when I buy stuff in menswear (that suit included) because I can always play with the idea of « attitude » whereas with women’s tailoring, I’m much more picky. The cut has to be sharp. I like a strong shoulder (not necessarily big but defined), I hate a sloppy suit/blazer… etc.

The people at Husbands Paris told us recently that they have more and more women coming to them for suits and that is an exciting new thing for them.

But then I think the experience of wearing fashion, whether is Hedi or not, menswear or not, is very much about the feeling. I was thinking about Thom Browne and the same kind of devotee he has.

 

[HigthaVandah]

honestly i like his women's wear at ysl and celine you can get a hot sharp suit to a sexy dess to a very old school formal dress , i think mostly what people cant relate with hedi is the rock and roll /indie /punk /wave/glam rock etc ...side of his clothes because music/that style for most people have moved on to other things.

what i know from his team is hedi is obsessed with discovering new music youth subcultures , because thats the way reailty can live with his clothes when they are informed by a set rules and codes and style.

i get that ...i know many don't want or care about the research and meaning of things and like the end product and vague association is enough.

thing with hedi is you have to be very nerdy about things to appreciate it fully. its like guys with music equipments or watches ...they can be annoying but thats separate from the designer and his vision for me.

i find michael rider mens and womens design terribly mid and lack of vision, while hedi early first ysl collections even pre dior where more pure and strong and had direction and vision ...in 2025 i find this more a problem than any bad hedi womens collection.

Exactly. Hedi fans are nerds. Tailoring enthusiasts are nerds. Denim enthusiasts are nerds. "Underground" music people are nerds. Leather people are nerds (yes you are). People who have the calorie content of everything memorized are nerds. B&W photography people are nerds. He exists at the juncture of a lot of very deep rabbit holes.

 

[jeanclaude]

Exactly. Hedi fans are nerds. Tailoring enthusiasts are nerds. Denim enthusiasts are nerds. "Underground" music people are nerds. Leather people are nerds (yes you are). People who have the calorie content of everything memorized are nerds. B&W photography people are nerds. He exists at the juncture of a lot of very deep rabbit holes.

You forgot Twink People are nerds pervs!

 

[tricotineacetat]

Oh they are very different indeed. Some women can pull off a man suit as it is but for others, no.
For example for the suit I had to take a bigger size to the standard men size for the pants to have altered. For the blazer, the cut was to my taste.

But I have to admit that I’m much more indulgent towards myself when I buy stuff in menswear (that suit included) because I can always play with the idea of « attitude » whereas with women’s tailoring, I’m much more picky. The cut has to be sharp. I like a strong shoulder (not necessarily big but defined), I hate a sloppy suit/blazer… etc.

The people at Husbands Paris told us recently that they have more and more women coming to them for suits and that is an exciting new thing for them.

But then I think the experience of wearing fashion, whether is Hedi or not, menswear or not, is very much about the feeling. I was thinking about Thom Browne and the same kind of devotee he has.

One of the things I really hate when you look at most womenswear designers conceiving a pant suit is when there‘s too much 'roundness' in the cut, such as a princess seam added to shape the bust or funny lapel shapes that take away from it‘s sharpness.

You want the androgynous cool of Stella Tennant or Kirsten Owen during Helmut Lang‘s heydays - that‘s essentially what you get from Hedi as a woman - And in a slightly more exaggerated silhouette with Haider Ackermann‘s Tom Ford.

 

[yslforever]

In today's newsletter: drawstring pajama pants @ Celine
the brand is dead to me
I am done

 

[Kimihiro]

In today's newsletter: drawstring pajama pants @ Celine
the brand is dead to me
I am done
View attachment 1398243

At least it didn’t have CELINE printed on the crotch area… 😭

 

[Kennnnn]

One thing I will also say is that there is a very specific feel about Hedi‘s suits and that is a feeling of putting on something with quite a 'ceremonial formality' - Such as the parade uniforms worn by the military or the robes of a judge at court - That comes from the very dry-handed suiting that quite often happens to be mohair, besides the obvious canvassing.

Thank you for expressing it this way. I remember my first Dior Homme blazer, I think back in 2005, a three-button jacket with a straight hem and skinny lapels in grain de poudre. It was so narrow and constricting, it made you stand a certain way, move a certain way. And then I went out dancing and the next morning I was so sad to see that i had ripped parts of the armholes. I remember I brought it to a tailor and he refused to fix it because he said he didn't have the skill to work on something so well constructed. You really never forget putting on one of Hedi's suits for the first time.

 

[HigthaVandah]

In today's newsletter: drawstring pajama pants @ Celine
the brand is dead to me
I am done
View attachment 1398243

Drawstring sweatpants are a house code...
(Looks like Hedi opted for Diors though.)

 

[PDFSD]

Drawstring sweatpants are a house code...
(Looks like Hedi opted for Diors though.)

View attachment 1398470

thats the black version of the show look that was in all white for celine homme ss23

 

[99 Percent Polyester]

I feel like there's an important distinction between sweatpants and pajama pants lol

 

[HigthaVandah]

thats the black version of the show look that was in all white for celine homme ss23

View attachment 1398471

Are they not made of cotton sweatpants material? The white ones don't look like it but the black ones do.

I feel like there's an important distinction between sweatpants and pajama pants lol

What's the distinction? Fabric thickness?

 

[yslforever]

Are they not made of cotton sweatpants material? The white ones don't look like it but the black ones do.

What's the distinction? Fabric thickness?

Hum the one I posted are cashmere flannels, so like lounge wear.
Sweatpants are sportswear, so cotton or a cotton-mix or technical fabric, to be washed easily, even though I doubt anyone who bought those celine-crotch sweatpants actually used them in a gym.
But I would not be caught dead in sweatpants or pajamas in public so I don't know much more.

 

[99 Percent Polyester]

Are they not made of cotton sweatpants material? The white ones don't look like it but the black ones do.

What's the distinction? Fabric thickness?

What yslforever said, basically, haha.

Pajama pants are generally more lightweight with focus on comfort and for indoor use only (sleeping or lounging around) while sweatpants prioritize warmth, and while they can be for lounging around they’re mainly for super casual wear to run errands in or the gym, etc.

It’s also not socially acceptable to wear pajama pants in public.