Ahead of Michael Rider’s debut, a Celine 101 primer.
Celine was founded 80 years ago, in 1945, by Céline Vipiana as a made-to-measure children’s shoes shop. It became part of the LVMH group in 1996. The first designer charged with reimagining the maison was an American: Michael Kors. He designed for gray pencil skirts and furs for latter day Hitchcock heroines, jeans for Aspen habitues and tie-died caftans in which to flirt with cabana boys during his tenure, 1997-2203. Next up was Roberto Menichetti, a Burberry alum, followed by Ivana Omazic.
In the decade she was at Celine, 2008-2018 Phoebe Philo ushered in a golden age for the brand with smart, minimal, women-friendly clothes and delectable bags that set fashion’s agenda.
Philo was succeeded by Hedi Slimane who, jettisoned what the Internet dubbed Old Céline style, with his own enticing brand of grunge and glam.