Hedi Slimane is bidding farewell to his role at Celine.
The 56-year-old designer is parting ways with the renowned French luxury brand after an impressive tenure of nearly seven years. The change in leadership was officially announced by LVMH, Celine’s parent company, through a succinct statement released on Wednesday. However, the reasons behind Slimane’s departure or the details regarding his next career steps remain undisclosed.
Slimane, a Paris native, was appointed as the artistic, creative, and image director of Celine in 2018, stepping into the role with ambitious financial goals set before him. At that time, Bernard Arnault, the founder and chairman of LVMH, shared with investors the ambitious objective of increasing Celine’s annual revenue from €1 billion (approximately $1.1 million) to a staggering €2 billion to €3 billion (about $2.2 billion to $3.3 billion) within a five-year timeframe, as reported by Reuters. While it is challenging to ascertain whether these revenue targets were achieved—since LVMH does not break down revenue by individual brands—there is no denying that Slimane significantly elevated the profile of the fashion house during his leadership.
In a statement, LVMH praised Slimane’s leadership, noting, “Under his creative and artistic direction, Celine has experienced exceptional growth and established itself as an iconic French couture house.”
Roudaut Morgan/Celine
Throughout his time at Celine, Slimane artfully blended his signature edgy rock ‘n’ roll style with the sophisticated elegance that the esteemed 79-year-old label is known for. His tenure also saw the brand branch out into new designs and markets. Notably, in 2019, he launched Celine’s first menswear collection and introduced the brand’s inaugural fragrance line, marking a new era for the house.
LVMH remarked, “The holistic vision of Hedi Slimane, his exigence, and rigor have made it possible to redefine the codes of Celine while reaffirming its feminine and Parisian roots.” The statement further acknowledged that the remarkable journey undertaken together during these past seven years has transformed Celine into a brand with a formidable foundation for the future.
Slimane’s exit coincides with a notable wave of designer departures within the fashion industry. This year has seen several high-profile exits, including Matthew Williams from Givenchy, Dries Van Noten stepping away from his own label, Peter Hawkings leaving Tom Ford, Pierpaolo Piccioli parting ways with Valentino, and Virginie Viard bidding farewell to Chanel. Such leadership changes highlight the challenges facing the industry, marked by slowing sales and declining revenues across the board. Despite LVMH reporting $45.2 billion in the first half of 2024, this figure signifies a 1 percent decline in revenue compared to the previous year. The incoming creative director at Celine will likely face even more aggressive targets set by Arnault as the brand navigates these turbulent times.
