MEET THE DESIGNER: Hedi Slimane, Creative Director of Celine

In this week’s designer profile, we will be checking out the creative director of Celine, Hedi Slimane, and his evolution as a fashion designer and a creative director.

French photographer and grand couturier Hedi Slimane is the current creative director of Celine and has worked as the creative director of the French luxury fashion house since 2018.

Hedi Slimane

Hedi Slimane was born in July 1968 in Paris. his Tunisian father was an accountant while his Italian mother was a dressmaker. Hedi Slimane in his youth made clothes together with his mother and would also accompany his mother for fabric shopping. Considering fashion a too competitive field, Hedi studied political science and considered a career in journalism. Hedi also studied art history at the École du Louvre and completed a tailor apprenticeship at a men’s designer house.

From 1992 to 1995, Hedi assisted fashion consultant and press agent Jean Jacques Picart on the monogram canvas project of Louis Vuitton. The project featured seven fashion designers reinterpret the monogram canvas in celebration of its longevity.

Evolution as a creative director

In 1996, Hedi was hired as the director of the menswear ready-to-wear section of Yves Saint. Hedi’s designs challenged gender roles just as the founder of the fashion house designs did. His designs were also popular and accepted. This catapulted sales of the fashion house.

Around 2001, Hedi left Yves Saint and took the position of the creative director of Christian Dior’s menswear section. In April 2002, Hedi made history as the first menswear designer to receive the CFDA award for the international designer. In 2007, Hedi did not renew his contract with Dior claiming he does not want to lose control of his name and management of his brand.

Following the dismissal of head designer John Galliano in March 2011, Hedi took on the position of Dior creative director. In March 2012, Hedi was appointed the creative director of Yves Saint Laurent. In 2018, Hedi took on the position of the creative director of Celine and presented his first stand-alone menswear show for Celine in January 2019.

Over the years, Hedi has maintained his position as the creative director of Celine.

Celine Menswear Spring Summer 2023 Collection

His latest collection for the fashion house is the Celine menswear spring summer 2023 collection which features different types of creative outfit combinations and the use of both leather and denim fabrics.