By Bethany Berkeley
Victor Virgile/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
After nearly a decade at the helm, Hedi Slimane is leaving Celine. The renowned designer, known for his minimalist aesthetic and transformative impact on the luxury industry, had been at the helm of the iconic French fashion house since 2018.
Hedi Slimane's career in luxury fashion has been marked by a series of pioneering roles. Taking on the position of artistic, creative, and image director at Céline after Phoebe Philo's departure. Prior to his time at Céline, Slimane was the artistic director of menswear at Yves Saint Laurent where he stayed until 2000. Shortly after this he joined Dior Homme where he was perhaps best known for introducing the iconic skinny silhouette that famously inspired Karl Lagerfeld to embark on a weight loss journey.
Slimane left Dior in 2007 and returned to Yves Saint Laurent in 2012, this time as the creative director. One of his first moves was to remove "Yves" from the brand's name, marking a new era for the fashion house. His tenure at Yves Saint Laurent came to an end in 2016.
Slimane's time at Céline has been marked by significant changes. He rebranded the label to simply "Celine," introducing a new logo and a more youthful, rock-inspired aesthetic. His collections, featuring tailored suits, leather jackets, and statement boots, resonated with a younger generation of fashion enthusiasts and propelled Céline to new heights of popularity.
“Under his creative and artistic direction, Celine has experienced exceptional growth and established itself as an iconic French couture house,” Celine said in a statement. “The extraordinary journey taken together over the last seven years has made Celine a house with a formidable foundation for the future.” Today LVMH names Michael Rider – former creative director of Ralph Lauren as Slimane's successor.
Though there are whispers in the industry about Slimane’s next position – with many voices hinting at Chanel, only time will tell where he will end up next.
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