Hedi Slimane

Summary

Few careers have been so widely discussed, and praised, in luxury fashion as Hedi Slimane. Born in the 19th arrondissement of Paris Slimane studied art history at the École du Louvre and completed a tailor apprenticeship at a men’s design house, after which he embarked on a successful career in fashion, helming menswear at Dior Homme, revitalising Saint Laurent and, in recent times, appointed creative direction at Céline.

Profile

Early Career in Fashion

In 1992, Slimane worked as an assistant to fashion consultant Jean-Jacques Picart on Louis Vuitton’s centenary project, which invited designers to reinterpret the luxury brand’s monogram canvas. This experience led to his introduction to Pierre Bergé, co-founder of Yves Saint Laurent, who hired him in 1996 as ready-to-wear director of men’s collections. After the legendary “Black Tie” collection for Autumn/Winter 2000, Slimane left Yves Saint Laurent and moved to Berlin, where he took up a residency at the Kunst-Werke Institute for Contemporary Art for two years. Slimane also released his first photography book, “Berlin” — a selection of black and white photographs — published by Karl Lagerfeld’s publishing arm, Édition 7L.

Dior Homme (2000–2007)

In 2000, Slimane became the creative director of Dior Homme, rebranding the luxury fashion brand’s menswear line and introducing the skinny silhouette in menswear that significantly influenced the fashion industry. He also launched Dior Homme’s first fragrance, “Higher,” in 2001. His designs attracted attention from celebrities and musicians, including Karl Lagerfeld, who lost weight to fit into Slimane’s designs!! In April 2002, Slimane was the first menswear designer to receive the CFDA International Designer award. David Bowie, whom Slimane dressed for his tours, presented the designer with the award.

Transition to Photography

After leaving Dior in 2007, Slimane focused on photography, capturing images of the Los Angeles music scene and publishing several books, including “California Song” and “Anthology of a Decade.” He also curated art exhibitions and maintained a personal photography blog, “Hedi Slimane Diary,” showcasing his work and interests.

Return to Fashion with Saint Laurent (2012–2016)

In 2012, Slimane returned to fashion as the creative director of luxury fashion brand Yves Saint Laurent, rebranding the house as Saint Laurent Paris. He relocated the design studio to Los Angeles, integrating the brand with a youthful, rock-inspired design aesthetic. Per BoF: “During his four years at Saint Laurent, Slimane divided opinion, but his youth culture-driven collections, which are closely tied to the music scene, proved to be commercially successful. According to Sanford C. Bernstein, from 2012 to 2014, Saint Laurent revenues grew more than 20 percent each year, outperforming the overall market for luxury goods despite having a significantly smaller retail network — 142 stores — than larger houses like Louis Vuitton or Gucci.”

Celine (2018–2024)

In 2018, Slimane became the artistic, creative, and image director of luxury fashion brand Celine. Per BoF: “Under Slimane’s watch, Céline has undergone a number of rebranding efforts: it dropped its accent aigu and “Paris” under the name inspired by its original 1960s design, and the flagship store in Miami was revamped, among other store fleet. The luxury brand also announced in late 2018, that its menswear division would soon produce standalone stores for the Spring/Summer 2019 season. One of the first glimpses into Slimane’s Céline came from Lady Gaga, who was gifted a handbag and debuted it in Paris.”

Awards and Recognition

In 2002, Slimane became the first menswear designer to receive the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) International Designer Award. The award was presented to him by iconic musician David Bowie, a long-time admirer and collaborator. Slimane’s introduction of the skinny silhouette in menswear revolutionised the fashion industry, influencing fashion designers and shaping trends for over a decade; his work at Dior Homme and Saint Laurent set new standards for menswear aesthetics. Slimane’s designs have been featured extensively in fashion media, and he has been recognised as one of the most influential figures in contemporary fashion. His work continues to be celebrated for its artistic vision and cultural impact.

References

1. “Saint Laurent Confirms Hedi Slimane Exit”. WWD. 
2. “Star Designer Quits and Turns $820,000 Into $12.3 Million”. Bloomberg.
3. “Exclusive: Hedi Slimane to Join Céline — and Will Add Men’s Wear”. WWD. 
4.  “Hedi Slimane Exits Celine”. Vogue Business. 
5. “Hedi Slimane: ‘Maybe I Have to Start Designing Again'”. The Guardian. 
6. “That Man From Saint Laurent”. The New York Times.
7. Hedi Slimane: Berlin, March 11 – May 31, 2004 MoMA PS1, New York.
8. “Seminal Moment: Vuitton’s 1996 Monogram Project Was the Mother of All Collaborations”. WWD. 
9. “On a High Note”. British Vogue. 
10. “Hedi Slimane”. Vogue.
11. “Hedi Slimane”. LSA (in French). 
12. “Fashion’s Finest Bask in Their Own Spotlight”. The Washington Post.
13. “Hedi Slimane. Fin mec”. Le Temps (in French). 
14. “5 Treasures From David Bowie’s Archive”. RTÉ. 
15. “The Prince of Darkness”. GQ. 
16. “YSL Confirms Hedi Slimane’s Return”. New York Magazine.
17. “Hedi Slimane contribue à la promotion du documentaire Meet Me in the Bathroom“ 
18. “Les Daft Punk relookés par Hedi Slimane” [Daft Punk Restyled by Hedi Slimane]. Fashion Network (in French). 
19. “Daft Punk rhabillé par Hedi Slimane pour Saint Laurent”[Daft Punk Redressed by Hedi Slimane for Saint Laurent]. 
20. “Hedi Slimane Exits Dior”. The New York Times. 
21. “Hedi Slimane Returns to Yves Saint Laurent”. The Guardian.
22. “The New Céline Logo Loses Its Accent as Part of Hedi Slimane’s Rebrand”. Harper’s Bazaar.
23. “Hedi Slimane Wins More Than £8 Million in Lawsuit With Saint Laurent”. Harper’s Bazaar. 
24. “Celine’s New Wave Man”. The New York Times.
25. “La collection Celine homme printemps-été 2021” [The Celine Homme Spring-Summer 2021 Collection]. 
26. “”The Dancing Kid”: revivez le défilé Celine homme printemps-été 2021″ “The Dancing Kid”