Hedi Slimane retreats to the chateau for Celine Fall/Winter 2021

•April 17, 2021

Back in 2018, upon Hedi Slimane’s announcement as the creative director of Celine, many strong emotions were stirred in customers both old and new. Some of the naysayers voiced their concerns about, whether the newly appointed designer will continue building upon the remnants left behind by his predecessor. Slimane, instead, set the agenda clearly and directly by searching for inspiration in the core identity of the brand, and the era in which it was conceived. Dressing habits of the Bourguis Parisiennes of the 70s and 80s, the core customer base of the brand at the time, have been modernized, reworked, and revisited, becoming the new essentials of what Celine woman’s wardrobe is today.

Undoubtedly, it seems as if the muse of the house’s latest offering was a girl, visiting her family’s chateau, who in the bouts of boredom, explores the gems of both her father’s and mother’s wardrobe, adapting them to her own personal style. This heritage-hued androgyny is something Hedi enjoys playing with, a tool used skillfully to add a distinctly contemporary attitude to the pieces inspired by the founding codes of the house. The most thought-provoking segment of the collection consisted of looks, which blended informal and formal, something glitzy and something borrowed. These were the true embodiment of the melancholy of interrupted youth, successfully carrying over the Bourguise grunge vibe that the brand has become known for in recent years. This spirit of exploration extended to other parts of the collection as well. The outdoorsy, vintage feel that some of the pieces possessed were a refreshing addition to the ethos of the brand. The oversized, menswear-inspired overcoats and rubber knee-high chunky boots, perfect for the retreat to the countryside, or a day spent foraging around in the forest, rounded up the collection, shifting the focus of the viewers towards, what might be, some of the most covetable outerwear of the season.