The SS25 fashion season might have come to a close last night, but there’s still big news coming out of Paris, as Celine announces the departure of Hedi Slimane. The French designer served seven years as the creative director of the house, taking the reins from Phoebe Philo back in 2017.
Under Hedi’s direction, out went the wafty silk shirts, slouchy pants, and sleek, chic, aesthetic honed by a woman creating for women, and in came something a lot more angular and subversive. At Celine, Slimane pushed further his indie sleaze-era agenda, first honed at Saint Laurent and Dior Homme in the mid-00s, kitting out super-skinny, teenage models in slick leather moto jackets and drainpipe jeans.
Later, like the rest of us, he took a deep dive into TikTok, turning out eclectic collections which saw him amp up the tiny proportions he was known for. Recent collections were decidedly grunge-tinged, featuring big, swamping hoodies, wide-legged jeans, and skate sneakers. Slimane also caused uproar upon joining Celine, as he refurbed each store across the globe in his own style, and did away with the grave accent on the name’s ‘e’.
“Under his creative and artistic direction, Celine has experienced exceptional growth and established itself as an iconic French couture house,” said the brand in a statement reflecting on the French creative director’s tenure “The extraordinary journey taken together over the last seven years has made Celine a house with a formidable foundation for the future.”
Rumours have swirled for months now that Slimane was getting ready to exit the house. With fashion in a state of flux right now, and a game of musical chairs happening at the top of the industry within some of its biggest brands, it was whispered that the designer may be next in line to take over Chanel after Virginie Viard departed earlier this year.
Chanel’s former creative director Karl Lagerfeld was obsessed with Slimane before he passed away, citing him as the reason he decided to ditch junk food and go on a diet, in order to fit into Slimane’s pinched tailoring. These rumours started even when Lagerfeld was still alive, with many speculating Lagerfeld would hand the baton over to Slimane or even work side by side with him.
With Slimane’s news announced just a day after Chanel showed its latest collection back at the Grand Palais, it remains to be seen whether there are foundations to the gossip. Right now, Simon Porte Jacquemus is also reportedly being courted for the role, with the designer also a favourite with Lagerfeld, and a track record of putting on elaborate, stellar shows in a similar vein to the man who once dragged a real Atlantic iceberg into the centre of Paris.
It’s all to play for right now, so keep your eyes peeled for more news on fashion’s musical chairs.
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