Just when you thought the Celine Fall/Winter 2020 show was coming to an end, another model would emerge, each cast in the same mold that Creative Director Hedi Slimane has tempered since the beginning of his career at Dior Homme. Male and female models alike were painfully thin creatures straight from the beatnik 60s, scowling as they walked with a gait that was pitched-forward, hands plunged defiantly into pockets. There were 111 looks total, nearly all of them repetitious. As Sofia Bolt’s bass-driven track “Get Out of My Head” played on an endless loop, a hypnotic quality took effect. Were we hallucinating or was there a glitch in the matrix?
Slimane is nothing if not committed to his vision.
Floppy hats, skinny velvet trousers, blazers, pussybow blouses, checkered capes – we’ve seen it all before. Slimane is nothing if not committed to his vision. Dandy and foppish, his youth are suspended in time, replicating the rebellious league that charged the streets during the Paris riots in May 1968 (the same year Slimane was born, incidentally). French fashion icons Jane Birkin and Isabelle Huppert were seated front-row. One imagined that watching this show was akin to seeing their past lives playing out in front of them – a bit of sartorial theater.
Yet, after so much sameness, one ached for something new. Sequined dresses brought lit-from-within sparkle to the catwalk, breaking up the monotony. One especially lovely version with big, loose sleeves in emerald green caught our eye. Although Slimane’s repetitive styles are his calling card, he has been adept at positioning Celine on the red carpet. The gowns he creates are simple, but eye-catching, imbued with shine. Remember Brie Larson’s incredible Oscars look this year? That was Celine. She’ll look good in the razzle-dazzle from this collection, too.
