Upon taking the reins at Celine in 2018, Creative Director Heidi Slimane left his home of ten years in California, packing his bags for the sun-drenched commune of Ramatuelle on the gulf of Saint-Tropez. In the five years since, Slimane has worked at uncovering codes of French nostalgia along the Riviera in tandem with the Saint-Germain-des-Prés codes of the maison. 

For his Spring/Summer 2023 Womenswear “La Collection de Saint Tropez,” Slimane infused his classic rock & roll sensibilities into the laidback and nautical essence of the Saint-Tropez uniform. Featured in the lookbook for the collection was the one-of-a-kind Celine Customized Mini Moke Vehicle. Originally manufactured back in 1964 for military purposes, the Mini Moke became an automobile that encapsulated French freedom and pleasure, especiallyin Saint Tropez where the car was famously driven by Brigitte Bardot.

Created as an accessory to the SS23 collection, the car features a wooden steering wheel with the Triomphe insignia as well as a hood that has been crafted out of the brand’s signature Triomphe canvas. Speaking to its environment of the French Riviera, elements of the vehicle have been completed in a worn-in tan leather while the seats are constructed out of wicker. 

The vehicle itself is conversational with the collection presented for this upcoming Summer, with Slimane speaking to the intricate tango of utilitarian toughness with French tradition, present in both the garments and the car. One can only dream of whisking off into the sunset alongside the ocean, with the license plate reading “CELINE” as it fades into the distance. That’s chic!