LVMH has hired former Polo Ralph Lauren creative chief Michael Rider to succeed Hedi Slimane as artistic director of the Celine fashion label. Rider, who previously worked at Celine as a designer, will rejoin the label early next year. He’ll take over from Slimane, one of the industry’s biggest names, who turned Celine into an "iconic French couture house” during his seven-year tenure, LVMH said on Wednesday (Oct 2).
Rider began his fashion career at Balenciaga, a Kering brand, before moving to Celine where he stayed for about a decade under Phoebe Philo. Most recently Rider was Polo Ralph Lauren creative director, one of the lines of Ralph Lauren Corp. The US fashion group has been a strong performer despite a slowdown in demand for high-end goods, with its share price gaining about a third so far this year in New York.
Rider will join the Celine early next year and will be taking on a role from a creative director who has had a significant influence on the French Label in the past seven years. Under Slimane, Celine widened its customer base, appealing to a younger demographic through campaigns featuring models like Kaia Gerber. The French designer also re-introduced the brand’s inverted double-C logo, and launched the popular Triomphe handbag shortly after taking over.
The 56-year-old was known as being hands-on, even shooting ad campaigns himself. Read more: Not quiet quitting: Fashion industry set abuzz as designers play musical chairs During Slimane’s time as a.