Hedi Slimane, Creative Director of Celine, was able to capture the emotions of the Tomboy collection through the video show, in all respects an ode to youth while maintaining a decidedly retro essence. The video of the Spring – Summer 2024 collection was shot in the “de lecture du département des manuscrits et de la musique” (division of writing of handwriting and music) room and in the “cour Turbeuf” (court of Turbeuf) of the Bibliothèque Nationale, one of the oldest French institutions which is located in front of the Celine ateliers. Hedi Slimane once again seems to reflect on the celebration of androgynous, a theme that has always fascinated him together with the relaxed approach to design that distinguishes him. In fact, Celine’s no-gender aesthetic is perfectly capable of capturing the contemporary attitude that young people are looking for today: that desire for exploration and self-affirmation, characterized by a style free from labels and stereotypes of all kinds. Celine designs a woman who loves to amaze with her sensuality, ambiguous and without labels, who likes leather jackets and combat boots, lace-ups with tanks, tailored blazers and rigorous suits to combine with small lace tops, tartan minis and silk skirts flowing. Tomboy is a story of the feminine that also brings with it the masculine and inserts it in a pleasant way, fusing different styles and forms. It is a collection that speaks of other temporalities through the idea of Vintage, the garments are something that return from the past to the present to assert again, transforming themselves.
An ode to androgynous style, a hymn to individuality, without labels and stereotypes.
The Celine SS24 collection rethinks vintage as an aesthetic from which to draw: pleated checked garments and leopard print outfits complete the silhouettes with tailored jackets. The vintage style is also found in an elegant cream slip dress paired with a crochet top, in a soft leopard print coat, in transparent lace blouses and in corset tops. Couture elements are contrasted with more underground pieces: the ultra-feminine garments, which Slimane combines with flared jeans, overlap with short jackets and tracksuit tops, demonstrating the designer’s versatility and creativity. And again, hand-embroidered bustier dresses, crochet tops and animal print coats. Among the accessories, the new Victoire bag stands out, a rectangular model embellished with a chain handle and the classic Triomphe logo. Tomboy – literally means rowdy guy, and it is in fact androgynous elegance that runs through the entire collection, permeated by the distinctive style of the designer’s career since the late ’90s. The video of the Tomboy collection imposes itself, with dedication, in its commitment to wanting to overcome the boundaries of fashion, not being neutral, but, reacting to the concepts of gender and femininity. In this contrast between the academic context and more daring looks, Celine SS24 has created a suggestive contrast, made even more fascinating by the soundtrack, the extended version of Too Much Love, a song by LCD Soundsystem. Celine’s SS24 does not cast a disenchanted gaze on the present, on the contrary, with few elements it builds a powerful weapon that communicates a broader reflection on fashion and world contemporary themes.
