July 7, 2025 |
It’s no small feat to follow in the footsteps of Hedi Slimane and Phoebe Philo – two of the most influential designers of this century. Yet, Michael Rider, who once worked under Philo during her tenure at the brand between 2008 and 2017, has done so with gusto, and a distinct vision for the future of Celine.
A house that stands, in Rider’s own words, “for quality, for timelessness and for style”, the American designer set out to offer both a greeting and a reset, translating these ideals into something palpable, a way of dressing, of being. Riffing on the off-kilter femininity of Philo’s Celine and the cigarette-skinniness of Slimane’s, but through a refreshed lens that injected silhouettes with ease, slouch and sensuality, the resulting collection sat somewhere in between the preppy posturing of Rider’s recent, six year stint as creative director at Ralph Lauren and the antiquated, aristocratic attitude established by the maison’s founder, Céline Vipiana, in 1945.
It was an emotionally charged, full circle moment too, with Rider showing the men’s and women’s collection at Celine’s Paris atelier, where he once worked.
And so, in this synthesis of codes and eras, Rider sent out fluid overcoats and languid suiting. Shoulders were sloped and lapels enlarged to dramatic effect, almost swallowing collarbones. Tight argyle knits hugged torsos like second skins, as did leggings worn by both men and women alike. Pedal pushers and barrel-legged jeans were cinched with big, embossed plate-buckle belts while bug-eye shades framed faces with a rakish tilt. Clunky gold chains were chucked around necks and hips, hot peppers, padlocks and egg-shaped pendants dangling, as were silk scarves knotted carelessly, catching the breeze. His American sportswear mentality was present in boxing boots and roomy chinos, cut with a softness that belied their sharp lines.
“I’ve always loved the idea of clothing that lives on, that becomes a part of the wearer’s life, that may capture a moment in time but also speaks to years and years of gestures and occasions and change,” writes Rider in the show notes, “of the past, the present and the future, of memories, of usefulness and of fantasy, of life really.” This meant Rider’s coats were tailored with a touch of tenderness, built to last and to be loved across generations. That idea of heirloom dressing permeated the collection like a gentle insistence.
Rider seems to know what he wants for Celine, how it should look, feel, what it should say. And that’s, once again, no small thing. It’s everything, actually.
Photography courtesy of Celine.
