Celine reimagines the scholarly look for Spring 2024

After presenting its winter collection with a glamorous and festive show held in Los Angeles last December, Celine returned to Paris to unveil its Spring/Summer 2024 collection. This time, the luxury brand owned by the LVMH group embraced a novel format with an online video presentation, which was streamed on October 20. Behind the camera lens was Hedi Slimane, who found the perfect setting right at the maison’s doorstep – the National Library of France (BNF), nestled in the heart of Paris, just a stone’s throw away from Celine’s headquarters and workshops located on Rue Vivienne.

This imposing building, which reopened its doors to the public exactly one year ago after a decade-long renovation, and in particular the spectacular Labrouste room with its nine domes set on iron arches, served as the ideal backdrop for the sulky-looking Celine student wearing dark sunglasses and a baseball hat on her head. Her distinctive style, an embodiment of androgynous rebellion that has been the hallmark of Hedi Slimane since the late 1990s, was brought to life brilliantly in the video through the talents of singer Stella Rose and young American actress Esther-Rose McGregor. In fact, the collection is fittingly titled ‘Tomboy’.

From the rigors of academia with sharp suits and ties or flowing dresses paired with high boots, to an edgier, rock-inspired vibe featuring an array of aviator jackets, biker-inspired leather ensembles, and striking medallion-adorned rompers and pants, the collection presented all of Slimane’s unique design signatures. The young Celine student appeared equally at ease in a sharply tailored, all-black men’s suit with crisp white ankle socks and chunky-soled footwear, as she does in an elegantly flowing Prince of Wales blazer coupled with bell-bottom jeans.

The essence of Lolita was captured in lace-detailed tops and pleated plaid mini-skirts. The designer presented a selection of mini-dresses, ranging from classic figure-hugging silhouettes to couture pieces meticulously hand-embroidered with glistening sequins or adorned with golden fringes, designed for effortless transitions from daytime sophistication to an evening of vibrant dance and celebration.

Notably, this rejuvenated wardrobe concept, which Hedi Slimane introduced to Celine a few years ago, masterfully blends streetwear elements with sporty accents. Iconic pieces, such as running shorts, men’s-style boxer shorts, and nylon tracksuits, were elegantly paired with an air of nonchalant sophistication. The collection also incorporated a hint of grunge through distressed denim shorts, harmoniously coexisting with more luxurious and aristocratic pieces. These include a mohair jacquard pullover, a tweed jacket adorned with gold buttons, and handbags featuring opulent golden chain straps.

The collection creatively reintroduced key elements characteristic of Y2K style, emphasizing midriff-baring crop tops and sleek tank tops. Accessories were on-point, including choker necklaces and cozy fur-lined boots, which are must-haves for the upcoming summer season.

Draped in plush jackets and coats exuding grace and warmth, the Celine girl cuts a striking figure. She is just as comfortable striding through the extensive rows of wooden reading desks in BNF’s grand and imposing reading room as she is on the dance floor. Following her time immersed in the world of books, she’ll likely place her well-worn book titled Celine on the shelf, right between Stendhal’s literary masterpiece, The Charterhouse of Parma, and Gérard d’Houville’s alluring work, The Seducer, before heading for the dance floor.