A week after the end of fashion month, Hedi Slimane presented arguably one of the season's best collections. Drawing inspiration from the 1960s, which he considers the golden age of the brand, the designer showcased a collection that epitomised Celine. In a short film, Slimane revamped the brand's lexicon under his leadership, while also paying a touching homage to his mentor, introducing a beauty line, and incorporating 20 couture looks.
Throughout the hallways of Parisian art deco landmarks, models exhibited what is unquestionably one of Slimane’s finest collections for the Maison. The opening look was a conservatively structured black minidress adorned with thick ropes of pearls - think Breakfast at Tiffany’s meets Twiggy. Simultaneously showcased in various venues, models flaunted checkered matching sets in the galleries of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Space Age-inspired minidresses in the Salle Pleyel theatre, and A-line capes in the Maison de la Chimie.
The homage to Celine permeated the collection, not only in its overall BCBG look and feel but also in the frequent cuts to the Arc de Triomphe. This French landmark is deeply entwined with the Maison’s DNA. Legend has it that the brand’s founder, Céline Vipiana, was stranded near the monument in 1971, and while gazing at it, she was inspired to create Celine’s now instantly recognizable monogram. Appropriately titled “La Collection de l’Arc de Triomphe,” the brand’s Fall/Winter 2024 collection was brimming with the iconic symbol, notably in the incredibly desirable bubbly pillbox hats.
The bulbous shape was further explored in intriguing puffy fur coats and sweet babydoll silhouettes, some of which were part of a 20-look couture capsule concealed within the ready-to-wear collection, featuring intricate embellishments, snazzy sparkly collars, and razor-sharp cuts.
In the captivating video that introduced the collection, Slimane also teased an exciting new venture for the Maison. Following Celine’s successful launch of its perfumery collection in 2019, the brand is expanding its offerings with an elegantly packaged beauty line. Commencing with 15 shades of lipstick, the new range will be available in 2025.
According to Slimane, the collection wasn’t merely a tribute to Celine’s legacy but also a homage to one of his most significant mentors, Richard Avedon. The American photographer, renowned for his portraits, was a close collaborator of the designer. While honouring Avedon, Slimane orchestrated a tactful ode to his Maison, introduced a beauty line, and presented a striking short film, proving that sometimes, you can in fact have it all.
Words by Pedro Vasconcelos
