Celine RTW Fall 2020
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Hedi Slimane has carved out his Celine ethos decisively and unapologetically — he mines the bourgeois Seventies. Period. In the past he’s done it with a focus on a single look. Last season it was jeans and a jacket, and before that, culottes. For fall, he offered a veritable lexicon, at least for women, of every look you can possibly think of from the polished side of the decade. For men, his focus was tighter.
Slimane’s show notes referred to the collection as “unisex”, and said, “the men’s looks can be for women and vice versa, including the bags.” (He brought back the Sulky from 1966, which looked great.) Yet while there was very clear crossover — the frilled blouse was an essential component for both — they each played to different archetypes of the era. Once again, the women depicted the chic bourgeoisie. They wore pretty bow-neck shirtdresses with fluid skirts; trim jackets over those frilled blouses and skinny flared pants, walking shorts, or skirts from mini to mid-calf and an impressive array of coats. Slimane’s ideal man is a cool rock god with gentle dandy persona, in polished, lean silhouettes. Jackets anchored the looks for both women and men, often in deep-toned velvets.
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A period piece? Yes and no. For Seventies devotees, it’s a bonanza. They can work the mood as literally as Slimane did on his runway. For everyone else, there are plenty of good-looking, beautifully made clothes that play into the notion of investment dressing — the styles have surely stood the test of time, and will be viable wardrobe components for years to come.
As for the collection’s complete lack of invention and even reinvention, Slimane has made it clear that those traditional elements of fashion design are not important to him. His approach is literal, no nuance, no digressions, no question. That’s either a deep flaw or an indication of the expanding perceptions of what it means to be a fashion designer in 2020.
Launch Gallery: Celine RTW Fall 2020
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