For most fashion houses, there are teams of people working in overdrive before, during and directly after the show to pump the assets out to press and publications, to ensure quick turnaround times and that the show magic is shared with the world as quickly as possible. However, never one to conform to the norm, CELINE does something different – harnessing the immense power of hype, anticipation, suspense and spectacle by releasing its show film a month after the event.
Closing both Paris Fashion Week and Men’s Fashion Month at large late last month, the CELINE show reinvented the rockstar, effortlessly and elegantly. Hedi Slimane’s crafted vision disregarded the streetwear saturation seen in other houses, to instead 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.Â
Traversing all the traditional and more alien artistic elements of rock history within one collection, 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.
However, another element to the show which embodied this central ethos were the attendees: uniting K-pop idol Lisa (BLACKPINK) with V (BTS) and actor Park Bo-Gum was a stroke of genius not only in its guaranteed attention drawing, but also in tapping into some of the most dedicated fan bases in the world. Longtime CELINE ambassadors, the stars’ attendance in Paris caused 3-day-camping stints from fans hoping to catch a glimpse of them on the steps of the Palais de Tokyo, as well as a social-media frenzy which outlasted the fleeting moments of the show.Â
Here, Slimane created the perfect storm – using mystery (only announced a couple of weeks before the show) the schedule (showing last), perfectly-aligned ambassadors and their fanbases, and the indisputable influence of social media to make the CELINE show the most talked about show of the season – cross-generationally. Check it out below.
