Céline. Fall 2020 Ready-to-Wear - Paris Fashion Week.

Images from the designer and the public domain. Credited to the photographer/company where applicable: Gorunway.com)

Since Hedi Slimane took over from Phobe Philo as creative director for Céline, in September 2018 revealing his debut Spring 2019 collection.  It has been clear that the intention of Slimane was to bring back form and shape to the Céline brand, affixing a more cleaner and fitted style.  Over a year later, Slimane has maintained his objective, since leaving Saint Laurent, with Anthony Vascarello now in charge of delivering the YSL concept, to which Vascarello has also, almost in lock step with Slimane, streamlined the runway styles of the famous fashion houses.  

The draw card for Slimane, as much as Vascarello for YSL is the 1960s and 1970s ethos of fashion, with dashes of 1980s hedonism.  Maybe there is a desire in returning to a more bohemian and care free time or at least a romantic idealism of an era that is long gone.  But the open question is, whether a designer can implement aspects of styles of over forty years ago, to resonate as a marketable impression today in the 21st Century.  As noted with my reviews of the larger fashion brands for Fall 2020, most are keeping their runway collections at, in some cases, over 60+ pieces.  For Slimane's latest collection for Céline he has included a men's selection, with 111 outfits in total.  There could be an effort, via the larger fashion houses, to corner aspects of the market with larger spreads on offer.  Which could indicate that buyers are tightening up.  

Regardless of possible recessionary aspects, Slimane and his YSL predecessor have bucked the trend, with increasing hemlines and bringing back mini skirts in revealing the stripped down and bare-it-all (more so Vascarello) styles back in vogue.  With all its excesses of runway opulence and extravagance, Slimane is offering an all in bet, whilst evoking the sleek ensembles that is his take on a sophisticated sex appeal.

His Fall 2020 collection has allowed the women's styles to borrow heavily from the men's looks, a universal aspects of femininity that can, in its pure aesthetic, absorb masculine styles with ease.  Rarely does this work the other way around, yet Slimane has overly embraced the dandy look for his inserted men's collections.  The nonchalant rock star styles of 60s and 70s, which from an overall refection on display of his recent Fall Ready-to-Wear collection overrides the women's looks on offer.  Which may turn out to be a risker bet.  It would have been better seeing the fluidity of female models styled in the rock star concepts. 

Silks, Chiffon, denim and skin tight pants, that as mentioned, holds a dandy of the soporific faded rock star.  However  the collection feels muted and logged down with the amount of male styles on display, there are some stand out women's arrays.  But the overall collection is relying on a era of dress and style, that promotes a type of nostalgic rebellious appeal, yet it feels aimless in its inundation.