Celine SS23 Womenswear: O Captain, My Captain!

Hedi Slimane takes Celine to the French Riviera, with Saint-Tropez as the source of inspiration for the collection

For Celine’s Womenswear Summer 2023 Collection, Creative Director Hedi Slimane has tapped Saint-Tropez as the fountain of inspiration. Slimane has infused his classic rock and roll DNA into the nautical nature of the famed beach town on the French Riviera. For the SS23 season, Celine has ditched the fashion week schedule and opted to create a short film to debut their collection — with a director like Slimane, the French fashion house is in the right hands to create stunning visuals for the unveiling of their collection.

Photo by Heidi Slimane

In the curation of the music for the Saint-Tropez collection, Slimane has tapped his longtime friends, The Libertines, for their song “Music When the Lights Go Out” from their cult-classic album The Libertines that was released in 2004. The short film is a back and forth between a runway on the street showing off the collection and black and white moody visuals that show models wearing the collection in the oceanside environment. If it wasn’t already abundantly clear before, Slimane has great music taste and Celine girls fit right in on yachts. 

The looks from the collection follow the spirit of Saint-Tropez, a city known for its stunning beaches and rowdy nightlife. In true Celine fashion, the jeans are skinny and the boots are high. The core of a Slimane collection is rock solid; rock and roll chic looks run deep in the hand of the designer who pioneered putting underground rock styles on the runway. Yet in the presence of his foundation, Slimane toys around with these two conflicting narratives of the town; relaxing on the beach versus tearing up the dance floor. 

The spirit of the ocean is present in nautical sweaters, matching pinstripe sets, and a brilliant captain’s hat that features the house monogram. Sailor button closures are seen in trousers and mini shorts, paired with loose gauge oversized knits that are ideal for yachting season. O captain, my captain! On the other side of the fence from proper boating attire, Slimane has provided a plentiful selection of party dresses. There is a certain air of sensuality that Slimane is a master in when it comes to the perfect club dress, there is always the perfect amount of shine and they’re always just short enough to make heads turn.

The mashup of these influences is what makes the collection sing, like the aforementioned party dresses being paired with a big boot, or a waterfall of shimmering gold fringe hanging down from a necklace on an otherwise practical boating look. Slimane is a master of incorporating inspiration into his already solid artillery — showing off what a Saint-Tropez club girl looks like during the daytime, or rather, what a yacht princess would wear to the club.

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