CELINE reinvented the rockstar last night as designer Hedi Slimane closed out Paris Fashion Week in effortlessly elegant style. Whilst so many fashion houses continue to lean into the safety of streetwear, CELINE have continued to embody opulence in originality as they have strayed from the path most wandered to create a one-of-a-kind rock revival aesthetic.
Pinstripe suits with pencil-thin ties and noir trench coats paired with heavy tinted wide frame sunglasses offered a subtle nod to the sleek ‘80s mod aesthetic whilst bejewelled bomber jackets and pointed Chelsea boots added a more contemporary boyband definition of the essential rock lookbook. CELINE truly traversed all the traditional and more alien artistic elements of rock history within one collection – uniting bold snakeskin blazers, a hot red leather two-piece, graphic velour tracksuits and military-esque platform boots in one seamless showing.
Slimane’s keen eye for cultivating and curating quirky creatives, unshackled by fear of the extraordinary, allowed him to build a show overflowing with attitude and authentic self-expression. He has long been more than just a designer, building personas and perspectives into his creations that radiate timelessness and a transparent affection for unburdened imagination. Shifting sequin tops strung delicately across bold leopard print pants, tiger print Chelsea boots peeking through flared suit trousers and kneehigh buckled boots with camo shorts all mirror the fearless and unrestricted spirit of both Slimane, his models and his audience.
It wasn’t just the rockstars on the runway that stole the show at the Palais de Tokyo last night as pop and punk royalty turned out in force for the must-see curtain call of this year’s collections. BLACKPINK superstar & CELINE Global Ambassador Lisa linked up with V of BTS infamy to claim a front row showing of the brand’s rock renaissance, joining Korean actor Park Bo-gum at the epicentre of a swarm of paparazzi flashes and cheers of fanatics. Even the more familiar faces of Fashion Week seemed to be dazzled by the appearance of the talented trio as actors like Thomas Brodie Sangster, Camille Razat & Earl Cave turned to catch a peek at the pandemonium unfolding upon the stars’ arrival.
After a brief royal wave from the guests of honour, a wall of floodlights plunged the runway into action causing light to bounce from the sculptures suspended above – as if Alexander Calder had designed the stage himself. The abstract yet austere aluminium decor made for a cold yet classy canvas for the show as their rigid uniformity perfectly juxtaposed the free-wheeling and character-filled collection being showcased below. CELINE seemingly defined their “rockstar” muse not by an era or strict time period but rather by a spirit – creating a range of looks that utilise the classic leather and tailored motifs of iconic rockstars but adapting them to fit a more modern palette.
Slimane presented a bold and unforgettable bookend to this year’s Paris Fashion Week, creating a more maturely muted yet no less enthralling ending to the season than their Renessaince castle setting last year. Slimane has guided CELINE with grace since his arrival at the house in 2018 and this collection is yet another outing that exemplifies the effortless ‘90s Parisian sophistication he continues to cultivate.
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