Rider’s debut leans on Celine signatures (sportswear ease, minimal structure, sharp denim) while adding a French-American accent.
Michael Rider chose Celine’s headquarters at 16 Rue Vivienne for his first show as creative director, timing it just before Couture Week. The combined men’s and women’s presentation opened with trenches, crisp blazers and fine knits, each one offset by gold accessorize.
Color surfaced in measured steps: oversized shoulder bags, roomy-leg dress pants in saturated reds, then sports coats and sweaters shifting from true green to bright aquamarine. Tailored jackets carried defined shoulders, while balloon trousers redrew the silhouette. Light ruffles softened cotton sleeves, and skinny jeans restored a lean note.
Rider’s respect for house history stayed understated. Traces of American polished sportswear, Phoebe Philo’s pared-back line and Hedi Slimane’s slim denim appeared, yet the mix felt original, like a Left Bank café rhythm meeting Midtown pace, reflecting years split between Paris and New York.
Rider offered a guiding thought: “I’ve always loved the idea of clothing that lives on, that becomes a part of the wearer’s life, that may capture a moment in time but also speaks to years and years of gestures and occasions and change, of the past, the present and the future, of memories, of usefulness and of fantasy, of life really.” The sentiment threads through every look.
Accessories finished the picture. Printed silk scarves were knotted at the neck and slipped beneath jackets; straight-leg denim met sneakers; plush outerwear paired with pleated trousers and loafers. The result gave a preppy lift without tipping into nostalgia.
Rider avoided grand statements about eras, letting cut, color and proportion speak instead. As the last model stepped off the polished floor, Celine’s next chapter already felt in motion.
