Michael Rider. Yes, a few hours after the French fashion house Celine announced the exit of Hedi Slimane, it has also announced its new artistic director, who will be in charge of the creativity of all its collections from 2025 onwards.

For those who don’t know Rider, he is an American-born designer with an enviable CV, having worked for other luxury brands such as Balenciaga under Nicolas Ghesquiere, Ralph Lauren as creative director of the Polo Ralph Lauren line, and even Celine. Indeed, the designer is not a new face for the firm, having already worked as its design director during Phoebe Philo’s time as artistic director.

The appointment has surprised some, but the mix of American and French culture may prove to be interesting. For her part, Severine Merle – CEO of Celine – is more than happy about the news, and has expressed her happiness in the following way: “I am delighted to welcome Michael back to Celine, a Maison that he knows intimately. Michael’s vision, creative talent, together with his genuine nature and strong connection to Celine’s heritage make him a natural choice to continue to build a long-lasting success for the Maison”.

And Michael added: “Celine is a Maison with values close to my heart and a beautiful heritage to build on. I am honoured to return and shape the future of the Maison together with the Celine team”.

Congratulations to Michael Rider on his appointment as Celine’s new Artistic Director!