FOR THOSE aware of the designer’s heart ties to Los Angeles it comes as no surprise that Hedi Slimane chose to return to this West Coast city for his first physical show at Celine. Waving goodbye to the European glamour of St. Tropez and Paris that has shaped his tenure so far at the House, coming to the City of Angels for a rock-infused show is as Slimane as it gets. Known for love of the youth, live music and at essence, the rawness of life, Slimane’s autumn-winter 2023 collection for Celine had everything avid fans of his could wish for.
Taking over the famed landmark, The Wiltern and to a crowd of 1,500, comprised of Hollywood’s biggest names, fashion insiders and of course, a myriad of promising young faces, Celine finally came to life entering a new era with its AW23 collection, one that promised us some rock’n’roll and modern edge.
In a true Slimane manner, this was far more than your average runway show. To the beat of live performances from Iggy Pop, The Strokes and Interpol, the famous design aesthetic unfolded once again unravelling an array of tightly fitted suits, body-hugging silhouettes and short hemlines, creating a collection both reminiscent of his previous collections for Celine, Saint Laurent and Dior, whilst simultaneously bringing the heritage of the brand into 2023.
Aptly titled The Age of Indieness, this seemed to be a homecoming in many ways. After last month’s return of ‘The Original Skinny Jean’ the heralded trouser was on full display, while an abundance of sequins, and slip and babydoll dresses swiftly stomped down the stage bringing staple Slimane pieces to the forefront of Celine. Fluffy jackets swung over draping dresses, denim paired with knee high boots and hand-stitched couture pieces came together with the entire performance to create a symphony ready to be heard and danced to in cities across the world.
There were no surprises with the collection. It was rooted in Slimane’s aesthetic and tuned to suit the more conservative nature of Celine without taking away too much. And while there was a lot of what was expected from the designer, he didn’t lose touch on bringing Parisian glamour to Hollywood with a big splash of noughties fever.
by Imogen ClarkÂ