Michael Rider is Celine’s new man. After announcing today that its artistic director of nearly seven years, Hedi Slimane, would be stepping down, the LVMH-owned maison has named Rider to the post.
Rider was most recently the creative director of Polo Ralph Lauren, but before that, he logged time at the French house, working under Phoebe Philo for a decade. Prior to that, he was employed at Balenciaga in the Nicolas Ghesquière era.
The designer will be starting his new role early next year, and will oversee all of the brand’s collections, including menswear, womenswear, couture, leather goods, and accessories.
“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,” said Severine Merle, the CEO of the company, in a statement.
Added Rider, “Celine is a maison with values very close to my heart and a beautiful heritage to build on. I am honored to come back and shape the future of the maison together with the Celine team.”
Véronique Hyland is ELLE’s Fashion Features Director and the author of the book Dress Code, which was selected as one of The New Yorker’s Best Books of the Year. Her writing has previously appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, W, New York magazine, Harper’s Bazaar, and Condé Nast Traveler.