One of Hedi Slimane’s many talents is to play against expectations while sticking to his guns and that’s precisely what he did with his last Celine show. If David Kramer’s artworks for the brand -featured online and within the invitation book- made you think of sunny LA afternoons and psychedelic pursuits, you were in for a surprise when the show started.

Tapping into the 1970s and some of his beloved icons and musical references, the French designer elongated the silhouette to new extremes. His jeans were rather slim, slightly flared and sat at the waist, which made his models’ legs look even longer. Slimane also used abbreviated blouson jackets that minimized the torso area and shoulder line. A formal, double-breasted pinstripe jacket -trimmed with a red carnation- was casually worn open over a denim shirt, which instantly brought French singer and composer Serge Gainsbourg to mind. If Gainsbourg’s style was négligé and looked accidental, it was in fact the complete opposite as every element of his persona and attitude were carefully chosen and mixed together.

That sense of studied nonchalance was also evidenced in Slimane’s choice of accessories, such as an unpretentious but surprising straw tote worn over the shoulder or straightforward white sneakers, which went against the current trend of gigantic and over-embellished numbers. Such longing to reconnect with authentic clothes is without a doubt one of Slimane’s driving forces and there several garments to covet in his show, from sleek black leather pants and stripy overalls to a military print trench or a slim black suit. The pointy white boots were a nod to 1970s kitsch, and they added a playful touch to the overall silhouette. Think disco pimp dancing to CHIC.