Hedi Slimane’s final collection for Celine was an exercise in restraint. It was a fitting departure; Slimane was hired in 2018 with an explicit mandate to double profits for the house. In the collection, one sees some of the signature traits underlying his striking commercial success: refined, timeless designs with a salient emphasis on wearability. The show eschewed showstoppers and gimmicks for pieces that were versatile and poignantly cool. 

UN ÉTÉ FRANÇAIS honoured the 1960s MOD via the early naughties rocker. Mini pencil skirts, monochrome palettes and trapeze silhouettes conjured memories of mid-century counterculture. Nico's wistful vocals, which scored the entire digitally broadcasted show, strengthened this impression. Meanwhile, furry leopard print jackets, slingbacks in crocodile leather and skinny silhouettes evoked the early noughties indie scene. As Slimane has previously documented this era, he was able to summon it again with deft economy.  A perfectly gaudy, beaded jacket draped with gold necklaces and a crucifix conjured the feckless glamour of Camden gigs. Lila Moss, whose mother was so entwined with that scene, was a fitting addition. 

Although the collection channelled a nostalgia for times passed, it also foregrounded a sense of evolution. In early looks we saw buttoned-down cardigans and houndstooth jackets. There was an emphasis on longer, pleated skirts and grey, subdued palettes, as if we were witnessing the schoolgirl’s first desultory escapes, gigging while still in school uniform. The clothes grew sexier, the skirts shorter, and the fabrics brighter. There was more skin, exposed shoulders and arms, as if the woman was beginning to emerge, now comfortably in command of her sensuality. Final looks showcased black evening dresses in silk. Here we saw bigger, dramatic silhouettes, even a cape; these seemed to belong to the world of galas or societal events, a new phase of life, a new sort of party. 

Each look was executed with intention and control. At times, this translated into a sort of heaviness. Whether through fabric selection, slim tailoring or heavy sequining, the pieces maintained their structure as the models moved, as if still hewn to Slimane’s original conception, a stiff embodiment of his sketches. Since the pandemic, the designer has been reluctant to return to live catwalks, and one senses his desire for control in the tight editing of the video and the obedient stillness of the garments. One can forgive this instinct when the end result is so refined, yet in a series that flirts with counterculture and gigging, a little messiness is almost expected.

When Slimane first entered the house, he replaced the much-cherished designer Phoebe Philo, who established a broad aesthetic, accommodating different types of women of different ages. Slimane, on the other hand, introduced a narrower vision. There was a spirit of impunity to his early tenure; he dropped the accent from Celine’s logo, wiped the social media accounts and offered a debut that focused almost exclusively on American rock and youth culture. He offered a style that was at once dramatic and subtle; dare I use those terms? His next steps remain unconfirmed, for now. There are notable vacancies across the industry, but many speculate that he is eyeing one job in particular. UN ÉTÉ FRANÇAIS made notable use of tweed and collarless jackets, helplessly bringing to editors' minds early Chanel. Perhaps this is a comparison Slimane is hoping to invite. 

CELINE WOMEN SUMMER 2025 UN ÉTÉ FRANÇAIS by HEDI SLIMANE