Celine's Creative Director, Hedi Slimane, is known to take his collections off the runway and into our screens, and the Celine Winter Mens 24 show, Symphonie Fantastique, is no exception as it transports us beyond, and into an auditory hallucination. Enveloped in the romantic aura that defines Slimane's nostalgic aesthetic, the show features Symphonie Fantastique, the first psychedelic symphony ever created by French Composer Hector Berlioz.
The inspiration
Hector Berlioz's masterpiece, a symphony born from the intoxicating fever of unrequited love, was dubbed the "first psychedelic symphony" from Leonard Bernstein. This deliberate muse in Celine's collection, discovered by Slimane at the age of 11, speaks volumes — a revolutionary work defying conventions. More than just a designer, Slimane delves into photography and artistic exploration, emerging as a provocateur — a maestro wielding a tape measure instead of a baton, conducting a sartorial symphony that's both exquisitely tailored and rebellious.
The video opens with Celine helicopters descending, dropping a jukebox into the Mojave desert and setting an eerie atmosphere reminiscent of a 60s western. Symphonie Fantastique plays. Just as Berlioz evoked energy in the 1800s, Slimane remains devoted to his composition of style. Like Berlioz, whose strangeness captivated audiences, Slimane ripples waves in the media with his execution of such a runway video, blending romance and rebellion in both visuals and the collection.
Inspired by the 1960s and the anglomania of the 19th century, the collection bids farewell to the old while embracing a return to sharp tailoring.
Celine Winter Mens 24 collection
Injecting a dose of rock and roll swagger into Parisian tailoring, this collection focuses on luxurious fabrics such as silk and cashmere, elegantly draped into frock coats and three-buttoned suits — each piece an ode to a masterful command of sartorial expression.
This collection is a journey of human emotion, a symphony of classicism punctuated by the raw energy of rock and roll. With a palette dominated by blacks and greys, and accentuated by leather pieces, it pays homage to the transformative power of artistic obsession, where passion ignites timeless style. The mod aesthetic of the 60s is palpable with sharp, exciting suits, embellished coats, and circular glasses, with a fedora to tie it all together.
As the collection unfolds on screen, the last scene pans to the jukebox, engulfed in flames — a dramatic conclusion, or perhaps a dramatic exit to an era of what once was.
