Céline gets Slimaned

WHEN NEWS BROKE in December that Phoebe Philo was leaving Céline, the glaring question (after ‘what the hell will we do now?’) was ‘who next?’ Now we know: Hedi Slimane, the 49-year-old La-based, French-born designer, previously of Dior Homme and latterly Saint Laurent. Slimane is a formidable fashion force, and his fans were duly jubilant, but to the legions of loyal ‘Philophiles’ the news seemed a little strange. The nuanced luxury Philo cultivated at Céline lived outside the male gaze and was cherished for its quiet confidence; it feels at odds with Slimane’s souped-up, sexed-up, up-all-night aesthetic. If she designed for women (crucially, grown-up women), his clothes have often fetishised youth. Her triumph was to root desirability in reality, making comfort covetable via generous tailoring and sneakers; his is to revel in the glamour of spindly heels and super-skinny silhouettes. Where Philo is soft, Slimane is severe. Both stir cultish devotion and Slimane won’t be afraid to shake up Céline. On joining Yves Saint Laurent in 2012, he dropped the ‘ Yves’ and rebranded the venerated house’s entire visual language. His appointment lays bare LVMH’S huge commercial aspirations: Slimane’s aesthetic sells ( he doubled Saint Laurent’s revenues) and he’ll be introducing menswear, couture and fragrance. Change is already afoot. Slimane’s been given a new catch-all title – artistic, creative and image director – announced via a portrait of him on Instagram. Philo preferred to be largely invisible, by contrast Slimane is the fashion equivalent of a rock star. Anonymity? Forget about it. What Slimane’s Céline actually looks like remains to be seen – but at September’s show, everyone will be watching.