Designer Michael Rider, who took over from Hedi Slimane as CELINE’s chief designer, presented his first collection for the French luxury house on Sunday in Paris.
Rider ushered in a new era for the French fashion house defined by prep, sculpture, and colour. The Spring 2026 collection introduced a wardrobe that mixed sharp, elegant design with a hint of rock-inspired style.
“Coming back to CELINE, and to Paris, back to 16 Rue Vivienne in a changed world, has been incredibly emotional for me. And a complete joy,” Rider said in a statement.
Rider had worked at CELINE before, from 2008 to 2018, as head designer under Phoebe Philo. Now, he returns to lead the brand after Slimane’s departure in October 2024.
Breaking from Slimane’s video-only runway format, Rider brought CELINE back to the live runway with a show held at the brand’s headquarters in central Paris.
Rider, who has also worked at Balenciaga and Polo Ralph Lauren, introduced a unisex Spring 2026 collection featuring long wool coats with back slits, slim and carrot-shaped trousers, fine knitwear, sharp blazers, and leather jackets. The line-up also included evening dresses and short fur jackets.
Accessories stood out, with striped ties inspired by Oxford style, wide trousers tucked into soft leather boots, and oversized practical bags. The collection used a neutral colour palette like khaki, sand, white, and black – highlighted with bold tones like deep red, green, and blue.
This wasn’t about dramatic change. For Rider, fashion is about real life: “I’ve always loved the idea of clothing that lives on, that becomes a part of the wearer’s life, that may capture a moment in time but also speaks to years and years of gestures and occasions and change, of the past, the present and the future, of memories, of usefulness and of fantasy, of life, really,” said Rider.
Show guests included Jonathan Anderson, the new artistic director at Dior.