Michael Rider stepped confidently into his new role with a standout Celine SS26 debut, unveiled on 6 July at the maison’s historic headquarters at 16 Rue Vivienne in Paris. The show, timed just ahead of Couture Fashion Week, marked not only a new chapter for the house but also a personal homecoming for Rider, who once spent a decade under Phoebe Philo during her seminal tenure at Celine.
For his first collection, Rider drew from the brand’s multi-layered past and reframed it through his own lens. There were nods to Michael Kors’s polished athleticism, Philo’s precise tailoring, and Hedi Slimane’s razor-sharp silhouettes—but none of it felt nostalgic or imitative. Instead, he softened the edges and imbued each reference with a renewed sense of freedom and clarity. The result? A collection that was dense with meaning yet open in attitude—anchored in legacy but pointed decisively toward the future.
Rider’s resume made this kind of synthesis feel intuitive. Prior to his appointment, he served as creative director at Polo Ralph Lauren, where he refined his take on American prep. His earlier years under Philo at Celine shaped his minimalist instincts, while his beginnings under Nicolas Ghesquière at Balenciaga gave him an early education in innovation and construction. This multifaceted background came through strongly, offering a fresh language that was elegant yet approachable, cerebral yet expressive.
Still, to understand why Rider’s appointment feels like such a necessary progression, one must consider what preceded him. Slimane’s Celine helped define a particular kind of cultural cool, effortless, aloof, and meticulously styled, but it also drew valid criticism. Its ultra-slim tailoring and exclusionary sizing alienated many, and its insistent narrowness no longer reflected fashion’s growing calls for inclusivity and relevance. In contrast, Rider’s Celine feels emotionally intelligent. It listens. It remembers. But above all, it evolves. With that said, here’s a closer look at how he brought his vision to the runway.
PREPPY BOURGEOIS IN FOCUS
This season’s tailoring struck a balance between tradition and modern relevance. Scarves, which appeared as a recurring motif and also featured in Emiko Oguri’s show invites, were tied neatly at the neck and tucked into structured blazers. Faux-fur coats layered over pleated trousers and finished with leather loafers nodded subtly to Celine’s bourgeois codes. Meanwhile, straight-leg jeans, white sneakers, and varsity-style blazers introduced a collegiate influence that added a relaxed energy without compromising polish. This blend of preppy and bourgeois references reflected Rider’s time under both Ralph Lauren and Phoebe Philo, acknowledging Celine’s varied design history. Some silhouettes drew from Slimane’s biker-cool edge but featured softer proportions; others adopted Philo’s fluid forms and Kors’s thoughtful layering. The result was a wardrobe that felt lived-in, quietly luxurious, and purposefully unprecious.
COLOUR RECLAIMS THE SPOTLIGHT
While Celine’s recent palettes leaned neutral, Rider used colour to inject the collection with depth and emotion. Black, white, and camel set the foundation before giving way to bolder tones like Kelly green, tomato red, and cobalt blue are layered across knits, silk shirts, and scarves. The styling, led by Brian Molloy, brought each look into harmony, building a cohesive palette that balanced familiarity with vitality. Every hue felt chosen with purpose, adding warmth without sacrificing the collection’s refined cadence.
A MAXIMALIST TAKE ON ACCESSORIES
Where the silhouettes whispered, the accessories made bolder statements. Jewellery came stacked: gold chains, padlock charms, and thick bracelets clinked together with rebellious charm. Brooches shaped like wheat stalks or vintage emblems brought sculptural intrigue to outerwear, while silver-buckle belts and layered chains introduced a subtle toughness. Bags were a particular high point. Philo’s Phantom was revived in a roomier silhouette, while the Rider bag made its confident entrance—some zipped with cheeky, smile-shaped hardware that hinted at Celine’s new playfulness.
UNIFIED MENSWEAR ENERGY
Rider blurred the lines between menswear and womenswear in a way that felt intentional and seamless. Classic blazers, striped ties, and collared shirts were styled with jeans and sneakers, embodying a genderless prep that was both fresh and nostalgic. Scarves, again, served as unifying elements—draped over shoulders, knotted at the neck, or left to flow freely. These looks didn’t just mirror each other; they spoke to a shared energy across the collection, one grounded in attitude rather than category.
CELEBRITY STAMP OF APPROVAL
The guest list underscored Celine’s global relevance. Kristen Wiig, Naomi Watts, and Dan Levy were among the first spotted, dressed in signature Celine staples: chasseur jackets, leather loafers, and washed denim. Their presence signalled enduring celebrity loyalty, but the crowd stretched well beyond Hollywood. Global stars like BTS’s Kim Tae-hyung, Park Bo-gum, Bae Suzy, Liu Shishi, and more were also in attendance, highlighting the brand’s reach across generations, industries, and continents.
FINAL THOUGHT
Perhaps what made this debut most remarkable was its quiet refusal to scream. There were no gimmicks, no heavy-handed provocations. Instead, it embraced a softer kind of power—one that rebalances rather than rejects, references rather than rehashes. As Rider wrote in his show letter: “Celine stands for quality, for timelessness and for style, ideals that are difficult to catch, and even harder to hold on to.” His goal, he said, was to create clothing that lives on, that becomes part of a wearer’s memories, gestures, and future.
By weaving Celine’s many eras—Kors’s polish, Philo’s precision, Slimane’s swagger into a cohesive whole, Rider didn’t just revisit the codes. He reawakened the souls behind them. His Spring 2026 collection doesn’t seek immediate perfection. Instead, it offers something rarer in fashion today: clarity, curiosity, and care. And in doing so, Celine finally feels as if it’s grown into itself, just as we have.
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