How Hedi Slimane went from disappointment to success story in China: he earned Dior Homme and Saint Laurent millions, so can he do the same for Celine?

Jun 3 , 2021

After three years under the helm of creative, artistic and image director Hedi Slimane, Celine experienced double-digit growth driven by Chinese Gen Zers. Photo: Celine

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Celine’s newly-appointed creative director, Hedi Slimane, caused an online uproar in China with his debut show — but not in a great way.

The hashtag “Celine designer is stifling” trended on Weibo at the time, as the platform’s users were sorely disappointed. Cult followers of Celine’s former creative director, Phoebe Philo, bemoaned the removal of the accent above the logo’s “e”, Slimane’s new handbags and his “C” monogram.

In fact, the arrival of Slimane seriously shook up the luxury maison. His distinctive rock ‘n’ roll aesthetic – sparkling mini dresses, studded leather and exaggerated ’80s silhouettes – alienated his predecessor’s fan base. But James Hebbert, managing director UK at Hylink Chinese marketing and advertising agency, suggested that the brand reinvention was necessary to keep it relevant. “Slimane made some bold changes to Celine, and lots of consumers felt it was an extreme shift to the brand,” he said.

For Celine’s winter 2020 collection, presented by artistic director Hedi Slimane, the Compression Project featured a limited edition of 100 vermeil and 100 silver pieces in collaboration with the Cesar Foundation. Photo: Celine

And Slimane was perhaps the only person with the chops to do it. During his tenure at Dior Homme, Slimane’s skinny menswear silhouette found massive success. At Saint Laurent, the designer increased the brand’s sales from US$400 million to US$1 billion. And, despite all the negative reactions, Celine ultimately did not lose its Chinese consumers.

Three years after Slimane’s debut, consumers are now familiar with the new logo and many local first-time purchasers might not even be aware of his predecessor. Now, thanks to China, 2021 seems like it will be the brand’s turning point. LVMH’s latest financial report stated that “Celine had great success with the creations of Hedi Slimane”.

Celine’s spring 2020 campaign, shot in Saint Tropez by artistic director Hedi Slimane. Photo: Celine

Sales in China have experienced double-digit growth as lockdowns have eased, and they are set to continue accelerating. Three years into his tenure, we analyse Slimane’s strategies and initiatives for reaching local consumers at Celine.

Slimane’s Celine is expanding offerings and inflating prices