Celine’s New Artistic Director Is Michael Rider
Everybody loves a full-circle moment. But we’re guessing that at this particular point in time, no one loves that sort of thing quite as much as fashion designer Michael Rider. Most recently the creative director of Polo Ralph Lauren, Rider was just named the new artistic director of Celine, overseeing all collections and succeeding Hedi Slimane, whose departure was announced this morning.
Before he worked in the house that Ralph built, Rider started his fashion career at Balenciaga. After that, though—full-circle-moment alert!—he logged a whopping ten years as design director of Celine with designer Phoebe Philo. So while he’s stepping into the role after the nature of the house changed considerably under Slimane’s stewardship, landing at Celine is less of a new adventure for Rider and more of a homecoming.
“I am delighted to welcome Michael back to Celine, a maison that he knows intimately,” Severine Merle, CEO of Celine, said in a statement. “Michael’s vision, creative talent, together with his genuine nature and strong connection to Celine’s heritage, make him a natural choice to build a long-lasting success for the maison.”
In the same statement, Rider himself offered this commentary: “Celine is a maison with values very close to my heart and a heritage to build on. I am honored to come back and shape the future of the maison together with the Celine team.”
Only time will tell where Celine will go aesthetically. But considering Rider’s pedigree, and the unmissable fact that both his and Merle’s statements include the very specific use of the word heritage, one can’t help but wonder if we’re due for a return to the effortlessly chic vibe of the maison under Philo. Or maybe we’re simply in for a surprise. Whatever the case, we—and the rest of the fashion world—will be watching this space very closely when Rider’s appointment takes effect in early 2025.
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