Last update on: 11:39 am October 3, 2024 by fashionabc
LVMH-owned fashion house Celine names Michael Rider its new artistic director, succeeding artistic, creative and image director Hedi Slimane. The former Polo Ralph Lauren creative director starts in early 2025.
Celine names Michael Rider as Artistic Director
Rider’s appointment comes just hours after Celine’s parent company LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton announced Hedi Slimane’s departure from Celine, after seven years. Slimane’s exit comes on the heels of his spring 2025 women’s collection for Celine, showcased in a ten-minute film that aired across the luxury fashion brand’s website and social media platforms. The film underscored his stature as a force in both fashion and filmmaking.
Rider has an illustrious background in luxury fashion. On graduation from Brown University, Rhode Island in 2002, he began his career in fashion with Nicolas Ghesquière at Balenciaga, as a senior designer from 2004 to 2008. After his tenure at Balenciaga, Rider joined Celine under Phoebe Philo, working as a design director for a decade. After Philo’s departure in 2017, Rider moved to Polo Ralph Lauren as creative director in 2018. He concluded his tenure at Ralph Lauren in end-May this year.
In his new position, Rider has creative responsibility for couture, womenswear, menswear, leather goods and accessories. “Celine is a Maison with values very close to my heart and a beautiful heritage to build on. I am honoured to come back and shape the future of the Maison together with the Celine team,” he said.
Per Dazed — ‘Rider is expected to inject his quiet yet powerful vision into the maison. His return is likely to mark a shift back towards the understated elegance that Celine became known for under Philo, but with a fresh perspective that acknowledges the changing landscape of fashion. Rider’s deep understanding of the brand’s DNA, combined with his track record for making heritage cool again, positions him perfectly to build on Celine’s legacy while pushing it forward.’
“I am delighted to welcome Michael back to Celine, a maison that he knows intimately,” said Celine CEO Severine Merle. “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.”
Parent company LVMH witnesses growth in the first half of 2024
LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the world’s leading high-quality products group, recorded revenue of €41.7 billion in the first half of 2024. Growth continued over the period despite an uncertain geopolitical and economic environment. Europe and the United States achieved growth on a constant consolidation scope and currency basis; Japan recorded double-digit revenue growth; the rest of Asia reflected the strong growth in spending by Chinese customers in Europe and Japan.
Profit from recurring operations for the first half of 2024 came to €10.7 billion, equating to an operating margin of 25.6 per cent, significantly exceeding pre-Covid levels. Exchange rate fluctuations had a substantial negative impact on the half-year period. The Group share of net profit amounted to €7.3 billion.
“The results for the first half of the year reflect LVMH’s remarkable resilience, backed by the strength of its Maisons and the responsiveness of its teams in a climate of economic and geopolitical uncertainty. Driven as ever by our dual focus on desirability and responsibility, we have continued to work towards achieving the targets set out in our environmental and social action programs,” said Bernard Arnault, Chairman and CEO of LVMH.
“In a year marked by our partnership with the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, we are honoured to share our creativity, excellent craftsmanship and deep commitment to society to make this event a resounding success and an opportunity for France to shine on the world stage. While remaining vigilant in the current context, the Group approaches the second half of the year with confidence, and will count on the agility and talent of its teams to further strengthen its global leadership position in luxury goods in 2024,” he continued.
Jasmeen Dugal is Associate Editor at FashionABC, contributing her insights on fashion, technology, and sustainability. She brings with herself more than two decades of editorial experience, working for national newspapers and luxury magazines in India.
Jasmeen Dugal has worked with exchange4media as a senior writer contributing articles on the country’s advertising and marketing movements, and then with Condenast India as Net Editor where she helmed Vogue India’s official website in terms of design, layout and daily content. Besides this, she is also an entrepreneur running her own luxury portal, Explosivefashion, which highlights the latest in luxury fashion and hospitality.
