Designers Switching Houses & Moving to New Brands

[gallianostan]

where hedi goes earthquakes and meltdowns always follow

 

[Nimsay]

What if its announced during the american solar eclipse

 

[Snejana Onopka]

i may be talking out my áss but from a corporate and logistical point of view that article makes no sense, why would an office relocation and the release of fashion films instead of fashion shows make the arnaults irate ? the only way to make sense out of this article is to go full qanon and ask if hedi demanded lvmh to hire a high ranking illuminati necromancer to resurrect oscar niemeyer and orson welles to redesign its offices and shot the campaigns, respectively lol

if anything every business move he made saved the arnaults a lot of money, the costs (security, food, venue location, influencer/celebrities fees etc) of a fashion show for brand like celine must be huge lol also the whole hedi x conde nast debacle only made more obvious the fact that vogue is not the grand arbiter of taste and style it once was

 

[jeanclaude]

I do not care if Hedi stays or leave Celine...but what strikes me more here is the out of this world growing expectations for the brand. Who could LVMH hire to get that 3-4 billion goal??? A magician?? Jesus Christ??

LVMH should look at reality (and at Kering problems with their greedy Gucci growing plans).

 

[LadyJunon]

where hedi goes earthquakes and meltdowns always follow

Our NY-based members did have an earthquake a couple of days ago...

This is laughable, brand visibility by who? Sorry I am not some Bain or McKinsey analyst that works in the fashion sector, but Celine's relevance on social media is at an ever all high. Also this excluding how most Chinese consumers (Arguably Celine's most important base of customers) connect with luxury brands and Celine which is solely through social media. Conde Nast is factually and objectively dying out. We can even see how Vogue China has failed spectacularly too.

i may be talking out my áss but from a corporate and logistical point of view that article makes no sense, why would an office relocation and the release of fashion films instead of fashion shows make the arnaults irate ? the only way to make sense out of this article is to go full qanon and ask if hedi demanded lvmh to hire a high ranking illuminati necromancer to resurrect oscar niemeyer and orson welles to redesign its offices and shot the campaigns, respectively lol

if anything every business move he made saved the arnaults a lot of money, the costs (security, food, venue location, influencer/celebrities fees etc) of a fashion show for brand like celine must be huge lol also the whole hedi x conde nast debacle only made more obvious the fact that vogue is not the grand arbiter of taste and style it once was

To be honest, I'm somewhat confused by the criticism on Celine's communication. Personally, I find it to be very modern compared to traditional luxury marketing. I can definitely see larger luxury brands switching to a similar strategy in the following years, especially with the growing dissonance between the desires of fashion media and luxury customers.

Celine pulls a lot of its marketing strategy, from brands like Jacquemus, where their communication is direct-to-customer and product focused. Instead of advertising through middlemen, like magazines, the brand prefers to advertise directly through social media and billboards. If the brand shows a collection, it's often through a remote film, again eliminating middlemen.

While it probably comes a lower cost for the brand's marketing budget (which probably allowed for him to ask for such lofty demands), it gives him 100% control on the mediums and contexts Celine is portrayed and represented. On top of that, stripping away the last of the fashion media's power over Celine is probably a sweet bonus for him.

The only true criticism I can see towards Celine's communication is the actual storytelling itself. The continual colourless shots of pale, moody waifs and twinks in Mediterranean settings may come off as one-note and repetitive to those who follow the brand (semi-)closely. That said, that aesthetic has almost become classic and timeless in a way.

I do not care if Hedi stays or leave Celine...but what strikes me more here is the out of this world growing expectations for the brand. Who could LVMH hire to get that 3-4 billion goal??? A magician?? Jesus Christ??

LVMH should look at reality (and at Kering problems with their greedy Gucci growing plans).

They've already passed €3bn earlier this year (they passed €2bn back in late 2022), so with the launch of makeup and the plethora of brain-dead Asian diaspora fans at their disposal, €4bn is a quite realistic target for the brand

 

[jeanclaude]

They've already passed €3bn earlier this year (they passed €2bn back in late 2022), so with the launch of makeup and the plethora of brain-dead Asian diaspora fans at their disposal, €4bn is a quite realistic target for the brand

And they still want more!!

 

[Snejana Onopka]

I can definitely see larger luxury brands switching to a similar strategy in the following years, especially with the growing dissonance between the desires of fashion media and luxury customers

agreed!! celine's brand positioning is quite brilliant, as you said it got rid of the middlemen while elevating the brand's cohesiveness, appeal and allure. unlike gucci, lv and dior saturated approach with its countless digital ads and sponsorship of tacky influencers, celine gives the impression of an rarefied elevated product and by consequence of a luxurious life style. its impressive how hedi manages this exclusive aura selling tons of products while being cost effective, he's every suits dream lol

 

[Kimihiro]

Our NY-based members did have an earthquake a couple of days ago...


To be honest, I'm somewhat confused by the criticism on Celine's communication. Personally, I find it to be very modern compared to traditional luxury marketing. I can definitely see larger luxury brands switching to a similar strategy in the following years, especially with the growing dissonance between the desires of fashion media and luxury customers.

Celine pulls a lot of its marketing strategy, from brands like Jacquemus, where their communication is direct-to-customer and product focused. Instead of advertising through middlemen, like magazines, the brand prefers to advertise directly through social media and billboards. If the brand shows a collection, it's often through a remote film, again eliminating middlemen.

While it probably comes a lower cost for the brand's marketing budget (which probably allowed for him to ask for such lofty demands), it gives him 100% control on the mediums and contexts Celine is portrayed and represented. On top of that, stripping away the last of the fashion media's power over Celine is probably a sweet bonus for him.

The only true criticism I can see towards Celine's communication is the actual storytelling itself. The continual colourless shots of pale, moody waifs and twinks in Mediterranean settings may come off as one-note and repetitive to those who follow the brand (semi-)closely. That said, that aesthetic has almost become classic and timeless in a way.

They've already passed €3bn earlier this year (they passed €2bn back in late 2022), so with the launch of makeup and the plethora of brain-dead Asian diaspora fans at their disposal, €4bn is a quite realistic target for the brand

I guess the test is if he can move the visuals past the French pastiche. I like looking at his campaigns on the street. It looks more earnest and far removed from the glossy vibe most brands go with. They’re actually striking in person. Even if annoyingly repetitive. I think it’s time to change it up a bit. The last show gives me hope he will.

Celine on €3bn is astounding. Verging on YSL territory. One or two more hit bag, and that make up thing and their profits might even double. As much as the beauty packaging looks cliche I can see them standing out on department stores (if he will) when presented in that Hedi way.

 

[naranja]

Our NY-based members did have an earthquake a couple of days ago...


To be honest, I'm somewhat confused by the criticism on Celine's communication. Personally, I find it to be very modern compared to traditional luxury marketing. I can definitely see larger luxury brands switching to a similar strategy in the following years, especially with the growing dissonance between the desires of fashion media and luxury customers.

Celine pulls a lot of its marketing strategy, from brands like Jacquemus, where their communication is direct-to-customer and product focused. Instead of advertising through middlemen, like magazines, the brand prefers to advertise directly through social media and billboards. If the brand shows a collection, it's often through a remote film, again eliminating middlemen.

While it probably comes a lower cost for the brand's marketing budget (which probably allowed for him to ask for such lofty demands), it gives him 100% control on the mediums and contexts Celine is portrayed and represented. On top of that, stripping away the last of the fashion media's power over Celine is probably a sweet bonus for him.

The only true criticism I can see towards Celine's communication is the actual storytelling itself. The continual colourless shots of pale, moody waifs and twinks in Mediterranean settings may come off as one-note and repetitive to those who follow the brand (semi-)closely. That said, that aesthetic has almost become classic and timeless in a way.

They've already passed €3bn earlier this year (they passed €2bn back in late 2022), so with the launch of makeup and the plethora of brain-dead Asian diaspora fans at their disposal, €4bn is a quite realistic target for the brand

By the way the Asian markets for Celine are not brain dead (the Chinese social media response to the makeup reveal was extremely extremely critical)

 

[donyan]

I'm no expert but that article seems so badly written, it's like reading Closer Magazine, ridiculous trashy Gossip thats sounds overtly dramatic but in the end is void of actual facts. I'm inclined to not believe a single word.

 

[PDFSD]

Why would it make sense for Hedi to resign his contract at Celine? Why would it make sense for Hedi to go out of his way and film a Homme show in Los Angeles this past February and release it sometime this summer?

What I really hate about this article that Astrid wrote is how she tries to make a rumour a fact. How she turns gossip into something publishable, and how this thread tries to make this credible because she has been right a couple times before. I also hate how a rumor even Celine Models know about is something that she thinks is publishable. How is this journalistic integrity? Nothing about Hedi's intentions show that he is planning on leaving. Furthermore, Hedi has obligations to LVMH and the way that Astrid wrote the article makes it seem he is leaving in the next couple of weeks.

I would love to buy my own journal and publish gossip all day but fortunately, I have respect for myself.

I don't wish for him to leave Celine, but there's nothing strange about him continue his work while there is tension building.
You don't stop working just because your boss might be upset or there is some push backs vice versa.

@PDFSD is lying​

​

Here is the article:​

Hedi Slimane, Celine's star designer, is getting ready
to part ways with the storied French brand, several
sources close to the label and its parent LVMH say, It's
the talk of Ie tout Paris in fashion. The timing of his
exit is unknown. It could be tomorrow, or it could take
a year or more. depending on how quickly LVMH finds
a replacement or whether the Arnaults get angry
enough to kick him out from one day to the next, the
sources say.
The Arnault family, who control and run LVMH. cannot
put up with Slimane's whims anymore. There is only
so much they can stand. several senior industry
sources have said. That includes not just LVMH CEO
Bernard Arnault but also his daughter, Delphine, who
runs Dior and has a say on designer nominations and
changes.
If Slimane leaves Celine, there is one obvious place he
could go: Chanel. Fashion experts have predicted it
for years, partly because he has a lot in common with
Karl Lagerfeld, the designer who made Chanel and
with whom he was quite close. Slimane's last Celine
fashion show, which was themed around Paris' Arc de
Triomphe, was very Chanel-like, with a 1960s twist.
Chanel designer Virginie Viard has given Chanel a girl-
power, rock-chic vibe that Slimane could easily
continue. Also, the Chanel's owners, are
used to dealing with designers' antics. The late Kart
Lagerfeld demanded the impossible and always
obtained it.
But as opposed to Slirnane. Lagerfeld was a team
player who got the best out of his colleagues,
something for which they remain grateful to this day.
Slimane, in contrast, is a solitary figure who rarely
ventures out of his first circle of colleagues and
friends. He's also not into celebrating other people's
work and can be quite mean and aggressive if staff
don't do what he asks, That's been particularly the
case since January as pressure has been mounting on
Slimane due to the brand's sales growth declining.
"A member of his first circle told me that Hedi was
leaving but we don't know when, • a senior nunager
at Celine told Miss Tweed on condition of anonymity.
Viard, who stepped into Lagerfeld's big shoes after he
passed away in February 2019, embodied continuity.
She was his right hand for many years. Viard has
powered Chanel's growth and helped it remain one of
the industry's most desirable brands. Now 61, the
designer may want to move on and enjoy life, sources
close the brand say. Or stee may be asked to leave to
allow Slimane to join and give Chanel fresh impetus
and momentum Slimane would centralize and
coordinate the brand's image and cormwnication,
which has been going in different directions recently,
industry insiders find. Viard sticks to design. Clearly,
you sense there are other sensibilities than hers
behind the brand's communication beyond its clothes.
When Lagerfeld was in charge, he decided everything.
All of the brand's messages were coherent.
If Slimane pined Chanel. which is far from certain, it
would not happen overnight. It may take several
years, industry insiders predict. The Wertheirners are
known for taking their time before making important
decisions such as this one. Also, they would have to
be ready to give Slimane the sarre arrmnt of power
and control he currently has at Celine, which is not a
given either.
Industry veterans will tell you that an easy-to-manage
designer is an oxymoron. It does not exist. Slimane is
known for being one of the rnost difficult designers to
work with, together with John Galliano at Margiela —
but not for the sarre reasons. Galliano is very tough
on his staff and changes his mnd often, making them
work long hours. Slimane's story is slightly different.
He is unapproachable. He interacts only with a small
number of people. "There are only a few people who
have access to the king: one senior manager at the
brand said. "With me for example, he communicates
only via e-mail. I personally have only met him only
once and he rescheduled our meeting many times
before it happened.-
SUCCESS
Celine's ascent may have plateaued, but it has been
one of LVMH's biggest SUCCess stories. In 2018, when
Bernard Arnault hired Hedi Slimane to take over from
Phoebe Philo, he predicted the brand would more
than double its annual sales. Back then. revenue
stood at just under 1 billion euros. Amault won his bet.
stood at just under 1 billion euros. Arnault won his bet.
Last year, Celine's annual revenue surpassed the 2
billion euro mark.
Arnault's ambition now is to make Celine reach 3
billion to 4 billion euros in annual sales. To get there,
he may have to part ways with Slimane, people close
to the brand say. If Slimane leaves, a source at Celine
said, "life would be easier for us because we know
what the brand is about and we could really improve
its communication, which has been terrible." Celine
CEO Severine Merle has done a great pb putting up
with Slimane's exacting dernands. Staff are
loyal to her than to Slimane. Celine employees say,
even though they admire the designer and think he is
a genius.
Under Slimane, Celine launched its first perfume
collection in 2019 and this fall it will unveil its first
make-up line. starting with lipsticks — as brands
usually do.
Prior to Celine, Slimane worked wonders at Kering's
Saint Laurent and stamped the brand with his dark
seditious aesthetic. which remained after Anthony
Vaccarello took over in 2016. Before Saint Laurent,
Slimane made a name for himself as Dior's menswear
designer. Lagerfeld enpyed saying he forced himself
to remain slim to fit into Slimane's Dior suits. Slimane
has a cult following and knows it — perhaps too well.
That's why he thinks he can get away with anything —
really anything.
ANGRY AT CONDE NAST
During the pandemic lockdowns, Slimane moved the
entire Celine studio to Ramatuelle, the village on the
hill near Saint-Tropez. That move not only cost a lot of
money but disrupted the lives of his team, who had no
choice but to follow him. Tt•en, Slimane got angry at
Conde Nast's new global content strategy launched
three years ago. In reaction. he forbid Celine to
feature in any of the company's glossy magazines,
whether in the form of advertising or features. These
include all various editions of Vogue, GQ and
Vanity Fair. "Celine is not even allowed to give them a
photo of a piece of clothing or bag, • a senior industry
source said. "It takes balls to do what he did, but the
problem is that it has significantly reduced the brand's
visibility and that's just suicidal." Celine's shows also
do not feature on Vogue Runway. the main platform
for watching shows. -If you are not on Vogue Runway,
you don't exist: the source said.
Enough is enough. The Arnaults are fed up with
Slimane's whims and costly decisions. The designer
decides everything, shoots every film and photo, and
charges big amounts for everything he does. Slimane
is estimated to be paid several tens of millions of
euros a year by the brand. He managed to negotiate
royalties on the line of perfume he launched in 2019
and on every piece of furniture he designed featuring
in the brand's boutiques, industry sources say.
Slimane also decides the layout and design of every
one of the brand's boutiques.
"For any photo he takes, he charges 50,000 euros,"
one person who works with him said. Staff at the
brand feel that its communication needs to evolve. Its
black and white stern photos have become repetitive.
Also, Celine models are always very young and ultra
thin — which goes against the current inclusive trend
of featuring older and plumper models.
"It's always the same thing. We know that the brand's
communication needs to change but Hedi does not
listen to anybody: one person who works closely
with him said. "He does not surprise clients anymore.
In fashion, you constantly need to create excitement,
that's how it works. But he always wants things to be
his way, with his codes that never change.-
The designer gives himself credit for every product he
designs and every photo featuring on the brand's
website or social rnedia account. During the last Paris
Fashion Week, Slirnane did not want to do a show.
Instead. he produced a film called *L'Arc Triomphe-
that he shot himself. At the end, the film says CELINE
and then HEDI SLIMANE. That is usually a big no-no in
the industry. Brands are supposed to be bigger than
the designer. But Slimane thinks Celine is him and the
world should know about it.
Relations have become particularly tense between
the Arnault family and Slimane in tt-e past six months.
"War has been declared between Slimane and the
Arnaults," one person close to the brand said.

lol why am i lying ? where is the lie ?

 

[yslforever]

The most believable here is the "tens of millions" euros per year, royalties on perfume and furniture and 50,000€ photos.
And that the Wertheimers are indecisive, per usual.
The moving of the studio was for several months ?

 

[yslforever]

I guess the test is if he can move the visuals past the French pastiche. I like looking at his campaigns on the street. It looks more earnest and far removed from the glossy vibe most brands go with. They’re actually striking in person. Even if annoyingly repetitive. I think it’s time to change it up a bit. The last show gives me hope he will.

Celine on €3bn is astounding. Verging on YSL territory. One or two more hit bag, and that make up thing and their profits might even double. As much as the beauty packaging looks cliche I can see them standing out on department stores (if he will) when presented in that Hedi way.

Indeed the campaigns are striking on a bus stop or a newspaper stand, especially the "LA COLLECTION DE LA BIBLIOTHÈQUE NATIONALE" with Tess, right now in Paris, people are quickly stopping to get a second look.
Also I do believe the growth, and verging or surpassing YSL: some of his bags became instant hit and have a large cultish following, boutiques are always full, and to be honest RTW sells a lot because they offer a full wardrobe (which YSL doesn't) for both sex. My finance and banking friends take their suits from Celine tailoring now, and Romy bags for the laptop. You can't find business options at YSL.

 

[Lola701]

I’m curious about the royalties on perfumes from a brand someone doesn’t own. I know Karl did something similar with the Chloe fragrance back in the days, but I wonder how it works at a group like LVMH.
If it’s indeed the case, then he might be a partner in the Celine Beauté entity.

That’s where the contradiction of the article comes to light. If LVMH proceed for that, there’s even more no reason for him to leave because that kind of contract means a very long term engagement.

And about the rest, it’s nothing you. Of course, Hedi is going to take all the money lol.
He has probably his own company that charges those extra services (shooting the campaigns, directing the films…etc). It’s just clever business on his part.
Again, Karl did the same at Chanel, Fendi and his own brand. Nothing new.
It’s different from Tom Ford who shot his own campaigns to save money.

And they still want more!!

The problem is not really that they want more, because in business, growth is necessary. The problem is the time frame for those big growth.
I always prefer organic growth but to be totally pragmatic, in order for LVMH to grow, they needs more superchampions.
Vuitton is making 20 billions. So obviously, they probably won’t have annual double digit growth regularly. Dior is going there…
So, they are left with Celine, Loewe and Fendi who have the potential to have those amazing growth in the next few years.

Celine is super well priced and the distribution is controlled. The ambitions are big and the numbers are matching it.

I’ve seen the new store they are building at Avenue Montaigne and it’s Insane! And I have to say that Celine seems to do very good in it domestic market. You see French people buying it and it’s great.

the whole hedi x conde nast debacle only made more obvious the fact that vogue is not the grand arbiter of taste and style it once was

He is just supporting his friend Emmanuelle Alt. Celine still has credits and ads in Harper’s Bazaar and in magazines where Stephen Gan is involved. I don’t know if in each case, the magazines are arbiters of taste or style…

 

[LadyJunon]

agreed!! celine's brand positioning is quite brilliant, as you said it got rid of the middlemen while elevating the brand's cohesiveness, appeal and allure. unlike gucci, lv and dior saturated approach with its countless digital ads and sponsorship of tacky influencers, celine gives the impression of an rarefied elevated product and by consequence of a luxurious life style. its impressive how hedi manages this exclusive aura selling tons of products while being cost effective, he's every suits dream lol

I guess the test is if he can move the visuals past the French pastiche. I like looking at his campaigns on the street. It looks more earnest and far removed from the glossy vibe most brands go with. They’re actually striking in person. Even if annoyingly repetitive. I think it’s time to change it up a bit. The last show gives me hope he will.

Indeed the campaigns are striking on a bus stop or a newspaper stand, especially the "LA COLLECTION DE LA BIBLIOTHÈQUE NATIONALE" with Tess, right now in Paris, people are quickly stopping to get a second look.

Despite the valid criticism towards Hedi's vision, I think that it's very effective in attracting potential customers. There's a ton of Celine ads on bus stops and billboards all over France. Pedestrians would often glance at them as they pass them and I understand why.

Looking at Celine's campaigns, the images have an aspirational gaze, but without the overly decadent overtones (the French really hate that) that luxury campaigns often have. They're very approachable and easy to understand for the average person.

Celine on €3bn is astounding. Verging on YSL territory. One or two more hit bag, and that make up thing and their profits might even double. As much as the beauty packaging looks cliche I can see them standing out on department stores (if he will) when presented in that Hedi way.

Also I do believe the growth, and verging or surpassing YSL: some of his bags became instant hit and have a large cultish following, boutiques are always full, and to be honest RTW sells a lot because they offer a full wardrobe (which YSL doesn't) for both sex. My finance and banking friends take their suits from Celine tailoring now, and Romy bags for the laptop. You can't find business options at YSL.

I’m curious about the royalties on perfumes from a brand someone doesn’t own. I know Karl did something similar with the Chloe fragrance back in the days, but I wonder how it works at a group like LVMH.
If it’s indeed the case, then he might be a partner in the Celine Beauté entity.

That’s where the contradiction of the article comes to light. If LVMH proceed for that, there’s even more no reason for him to leave because that kind of contract means a very long term engagement.

And about the rest, it’s nothing you. Of course, Hedi is going to take all the money lol.
He has probably his own company that charges those extra services (shooting the campaigns, directing the films…etc). It’s just clever business on his part.
Again, Karl did the same at Chanel, Fendi and his own brand. Nothing new.
It’s different from Tom Ford who shot his own campaigns to save money.

The problem is not really that they want more, because in business, growth is necessary. The problem is the time frame for those big growth.
I always prefer organic growth but to be totally pragmatic, in order for LVMH to grow, they needs more superchampions.
Vuitton is making 20 billions. So obviously, they probably won’t have annual double digit growth regularly. Dior is going there…
So, they are left with Celine, Loewe and Fendi who have the potential to have those amazing growth in the next few years.

Celine is super well priced and the distribution is controlled. The ambitions are big and the numbers are matching it.

I’ve seen the new store they are building at Avenue Montaigne and it’s Insane! And I have to say that Celine seems to do very good in it domestic market. You see French people buying it and it’s great.

He is just supporting his friend Emmanuelle Alt. Celine still has credits and ads in Harper’s Bazaar and in magazines where Stephen Gan is involved. I don’t know if in each case, the magazines are arbiters of taste or style…

One of the consistent keys to the success of Celine is that the collections are very product-focused. He seems to design on autopilot, his designs are very easy to wear with a high product quality. Both of his predecessors (Pilati and Philo) often created quite lofty, conceptual collections which weren't always approachable in real life. The addition of menswear (male customers are very cult-like) must've helped immensely.

Hedi does have unusually high amount of power at Celine, from the product ranges, to the store designs, to the marketing strategy. That said, I imagine that the explosive growth justifies that in Arnault's eyes. I theorise that Celine might also be a guinea-pig for ideas that could be used for the rest of LVMH's megabrands.

By the way the Asian markets for Celine are not brain dead (the Chinese social media response to the makeup reveal was extremely extremely critical)

Sorry, I meant fans of "Asian diaspora" (fans of Kpop, Kdramas, etc.), not the actual markets themselves.

 

[Creative]

Usually rumors are true. I didn’t hear any of those rumors tho (and one of my friends is a senior WW manager at Céline), but who knows. It is true that sales have slowed down and he might want to leave on a high note.

All the things that she says that could boost his exit (I don’t believe those are the reasons for him to leave tbh) are the things that I love about him. He is a such a character and such a diva and I love that. He lives in his ivory tower and does things as he wants because he can. I’d love to know him, he reminds me so much of me lmao.

I don’t know if he would go to Chanel. He is not very stable and Chanel needs that. Also, the brand is in an Hermès mood. No one cares about the shows anymore, everybody couldn’t care less about Virginie, but the brand image is still so strong for people outside TFS and sales so steady that why would they need Hedi now?

I’d love to see him at a Chanel but I don’t think it will ever happen.

 

[Lola701]

He is a such a character and such a diva and I love that. He lives in his ivory tower and does things as he wants because he can.

It’s funny, all the people who I know who have been more or less close to him have told me that about him. A diva, almost to the point of impossible but oh so fabulous because of his high standards and his no-non sense/no second option attitude.

But that’s the kind of designers who have longevity and the kind of designers who have the attention of executives. And contrary to popular belief, they are usually easy to work with (even if it can be demanding), loyal and will fight for their team.

Jean Jacques Picard and Pierre Bergé mentored him well in order to swim in that sea infected of sharks named the fashion industry.

 

[Overindulgence]

And contrary to popular belief, they are usually easy to work with (even if it can be demanding), loyal and will fight for their team.

I know a few people from the Celine team (in different depts that have to interact directly with him) and they all really respect Hedi. They mention heavy workload/tight schedules, and the suits, but never speak poorly of Hedi - only praise/admiration. A couple of them worked with him at SL and joined Celine when he began, despite working at other companies during the years in-between (I assume that's loyalty on both ends). That's truly a sign of a great leader.

 

[PDFSD]

Fashion Merry-Go-Round Series: 3-Celine in talks with Alaïa’s Pieter Mulier
Astrid Wendlandt
14/04/24
The departure of designer Hedi Slimane at Celine has yet to be announced but owner LVMH is not wasting any time looking for a replacement. The French group is in talks with several candidates. One of them is Alaïa’s popular creative director Pieter Mulier. If the Belgian designer gets the job, it would be great for Celine but disastrous for Richemont’s Alaïa, industry sources have said.

 

[Olaffo]

The departure of designer Hedi Slimane at Celine has yet to be announced but owner LVMH is not wasting any time looking for a replacement. The French group is in talks with several candidates. One of them is Alaïa’s popular creative director Pieter Mulier. If the Belgian designer gets the job, it would be great for Celine but disastrous for Richemont’s Alaïa, industry sources have said.

Well I think if that’s another full post regarding Heidi’s departure then it might be a grain of true in it. Interesting what would be then his next step because I don’t believe that Chanel is achievable for him - suits are happy with VV and sales are speaking in favour of her (this she has no style or sense of fashion and that’s not a question). Time will tell, but I can imagine Muler at Celine, somehow it fits.