Celine has parted ways with its creative director Hedi Slimane, ending a seven-year stint for the French fashion designer.
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Parent company LVMH shared the news via a brief statement.
“Under his creative and artistic direction, Celine has experienced exceptional growth and established itself as an iconic French couture house,” LVMH said of Slimane.
“The holistic vision of Hedi Slimane, his exigence and rigor have made it possible to redefine the codes of Celine whilst reaffirming its feminine and Parisian roots. He has also remarkably enriched new territories for the maison such as the men’s silhouette, couture and haute parfumerie. The extraordinary journey taken together over the last seven years has made Celine a house with a formidable foundation for the future.”
In a separate release just three hours later, the French conglomerate named Michael Rider the new design head at Celine, joining the Parisian luxury maison from Polo Ralph Lauren, where he served as creative director.
It marks a return to the French house for Rider, who clocked a decade as Celine’s design director of ready-to-wear from 2008 to 2018, working under former creative director Phoebe Philo.
Rider also worked as a senior designer at Balenciaga from 2004 to 2008.
In a release, LVMH said Rider would have “the entire creative responsibility of all Celine collections, from womenswear, menswear, leather goods and accessories to couture.”
“I am delighted to welcome Michael back to Celine, a maison that he knows intimately,” said Severine Merle, chief executive officer Celine. “Michael’s vision, creative talent, together with his genuine nature and strong connection to Celine’s heritage, make him a natural choice to continue to build a long-lasting success for the maison.”
He starts at Celine in early 2025.
As for Slimane, the rumour mill is churning, with speculation the designer could end up at Chanel, following the shock departure of Virginie Viard.