Hedi Slimane’s First Celine Runway Bags: A Complete Look at the Spring 2019 Collection

Hedi Slimane’s First Celine Runway Bags: What You Need to Know

When Hedi Slimane took the helm at Celine, the fashion world held its breath. His Spring 2019 runway debut in Paris made that change visible at once, replacing the quiet refinement associated with the previous era with a sharper, more assertive point of view. Gone was the understated minimalism of the Phoebe Philo era. In its place, Slimane introduced a vision that feels familiar to anyone who followed his work at Saint Laurent.

The Celine 16 Bag and Its Sibling

One of the first bags associated with Slimane’s Celine was the Celine 16, which appeared before the runway show and set the tone for the accessories that followed. On the catwalk, that bag appeared in an exotic skin version alongside a saddle bag in the same design family. Both pieces are practical and structured, but their appeal lies more in their clean execution than in a strongly original silhouette.

The Flap Bags with the Bold C Logo

The most talked-about bags from the show are the flap styles featuring a large, sans-serif C closure. This design choice reads as a direct nod to Chanel, a reference Slimane frequently employed during his Saint Laurent tenure. Their polished finish and assertive scale place them firmly in Slimane’s signature territory, even as they depart from the quieter language that had defined Celine in recent years. The hardware is shiny and assertive, giving the pieces a flashy quality that contrasts sharply with the brand’s recent history.

Elongated Flap Clutches with a Retro Vibe

A series of slim, rectangular flap clutches rounded out the bag offering. These pieces lean into late 1980s and early 1990s references, a period that has often informed Slimane’s work. They are clean and simple, but again, they do not break new ground.

How This Collection Compares to the Philo Era

Compared with the accessories under Phoebe Philo, this debut represents a dramatic shift in mood. Where Philo catered to working professionals and modern women with clean lines and intellectual restraint, Slimane brings rock-and-roll edge, shiny hardware, and logo-centric designs. The shift is dramatic and, for many longtime Celine customers, unwelcome.

The One Bag with Vintage Appeal

Among the more memorable pieces is a box bag featuring the vintage Celine logo with two Cs. This design carries a nostalgic quality that some collectors find promising. It hints at the house’s heritage rather than borrowing from Slimane’s previous work.

Final Thoughts on the Debut Collection

For collectors and loyal Celine customers, it may be the most compelling direction in the lineup because it balances familiarity with a clearer house identity. The pieces are well-constructed, but they lack the originality and thoughtful design that made the brand a favorite among discerning shoppers. The bags are well made and visually disciplined, yet many of them rely on familiar Slimane signatures rather than a fresh interpretation of Celine’s codes. For fans of Slimane’s aesthetic, it delivers exactly what you would expect.

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