THE (NON)SUCCESFUL SLIMANE-ATION OF CELINE

As it was presented it was the most controversial and the most anticipated collection of Paris Fashion Week. The word was about Celine which has brought the new designer name, the one, and only Hedi Slimane. Hedi Slimane is known for his secure and upfront aesthetic with the strong visions in any aspect. There was an all the known anecdote, in the time when he was designing for Dior Homme and YSL, he was famous for his love for the ultra-sleek silhouette which in the menswear concept has looked very neo-chic and rock. Even then not so tiny Karl Lagerfeld was so impressed by the fashion and that sleekness that he started a rigorous diet of Diet Coke and fat-free yogurt just to fit into the Dior Homme famous creations. So the love and admiration for Hedi Slimane in the fashion scene are immense but one question that has been popping around since the latest Celine Spring/summer 2019 Ready To Wear show was, is Hedi Slimane the right choice for the immensely feminine and delicate aesthetic of Celine?!

First of all, just a glimpse at the Instagram account of Celine the old Celine photos with the design made by Phoebe Philo was erased and the black and white photos emerged just a few weeks before the collection. This rigorous and "tabula rasa" gesture seemed really strict and harsh. That approach of erasing the old legacy has really something to do with the high self-conscious and very secure feeling of Hedi Slimane as a designer, and no one doubts that. And that was only the intro of what we could expect of Celine by Hedi Slimane. Seems like his already known design signature, although so epic and strong, was kept in the concept of Celine design too. The edgy and rock-chic vibe with the sleek silhouettes and very slim models on the runways has been something that was really so far from the classic and the already known Celine signature. Some people have found it ok, but for Phoebe Philo fans the collection was a disappointment.

Why was so?! Well, the collection by itself was amazing! It was dark, nightwear boosted, with the mixture of the men and women outfits which could be rocked as the womenswear. This androgynous spirit was something that did not set down really good to the Celine fans who have expected a little bit more of the Celine aesthetics. This "nip and tuck" approach looks really harsh now, but knowing Hedi Slimane we will see amazing design and fashion for Celine, no doubt that. Will the Philo-vers accept it, now that is another question. The spectrum of colors was so in Slimane "Stich"! The all blacks with the few embellishment pieces have really put down the neo-romanticism of Celine into the moody but attitude full style.

This collection was maybe not the right example of how you could do the first show for the fashion house which has had the strong visual character as Celine. Maybe Hedi Slimane should look into the archives and create something that was more Celine appropriate and not serve fully his own signature design. But that was his conscious maneuver to start from scratch, to create under his own creative conditions. Are they pretty similar to those famous Dior Homme days, yes, and that was the only problem! Will Slimane keep going in the same direction?! Well, knowing his strong designer aura, yes. But fashion design is a creative process and maybe in that process, and he will serve something that will re-cope the old Celine fans. Or the "Slimane-ation" of Celine is only the beginning of recruiting totally new Celine fans and consumers!

What do you think about this collection? Do you find Hedi Slimane the perfect choice for Celine or do you think his aesthetic is too homogenous and not so promising in the concept of Celine?

Thank you for the attention!

Georgia! xo

Photo: Creative Vogue.com