Did Lisa Play a Crucial Role in Hedi Slimane’s Exit from Celine?

In the early days of October, amid widespread speculation, it was finally confirmed that renowned designer Hedi Slimane has officially ended his association with Celine after a notable seven-year tenure. This has led to numerous inquiries regarding a potentially strained dynamic between Slimane and Celine’s CEO, Séverine Merle. Interestingly, fans are pondering whether BLACKPINK’s Lisa played a role in this unexpected departure.

Hedi Slimane Celine — Hedi Slimane concludes his collaboration with Celine after seven years.

Since 2020, Lisa, the stunning Thai star, has served as the global ambassador for Celine, becoming synonymous with the brand over time. However, fans were taken aback when, in July 2024, it was announced that she would transition to become the global ambassador for Louis Vuitton, symbolizing the end of her association with Celine.

lisa blackpink — Lisa transitioned to Louis Vuitton as their global ambassador in July 2024.

In the wake of these events, the publication Challenges brought to light various points of friction between Hedi Slimane and Celine’s CEO, Séverine Merle.

Challenges article — Insights from the Challenges publication.

According to reports, Celine had intended to unveil a new collection at the La Gaîté Lyrique museum in Paris on July 3, 2023. However, this show was ultimately canceled due to unrest in Paris, a situation Hedi Slimane reportedly was not informed about, causing his meticulous preparations to go in vain.

Moreover, Slimane had relentlessly worked on launching Celine’s beauty line, designating Lisa as his muse for the campaign. Yet, LVMH, the parent company of Celine, opted to assign Lisa to represent Guerlain’s beauty products instead. This decision may have served as a pivotal moment prompting Hedi’s exit from the brand.

Insider sources indicate that Hedi Slimane is planning the debut of Celine’s beauty line in January 2025, with aspirations to have Lisa as the face of the campaign.

Reactions from netizens regarding these developments include:

“It’s evident that Lisa was Hedi’s muse, and claims from detractors suggesting she was ‘excluded’ from Celine are unfounded. LVMH simply preferred her for Guerlain.”
“Lisa’s transition marked a significant turning point that likely influenced Hedi’s choice to leave Celine.”
“This situation feels like karma for both Celine and the LVMH group.”

Shortly after announcing Hedi Slimane’s exit, Celine introduced his successor – designer Michael Rider – suggesting that this transition had been in the works for some time.

Hedi Slimane began his journey with Celine as Artistic Director in February 2018, taking over from Phoebe Philo. Prior to this, he held the position of Artistic Director of menswear at Yves Saint Laurent (now known as Saint Laurent), and he initially joined Dior Homme, Dior’s menswear label, back in 2000.

After leaving Dior in 2007, he returned to Yves Saint Laurent in 2012 as Creative Director, where he implemented substantial innovations until he parted ways with the brand in 2016.

During his tenure with Celine, Hedi Slimane presented numerous collections infused with his unique aesthetic, stirring passionate discussions among fashion aficionados.

Additionally, Celine flourished under Hedi’s direction, seeing a remarkable sales surge of 2.5 times since his arrival. By 2023, Celine emerged as a top contender under LVMH, achieving stellar sales of $2.6 billion, ranking just behind Louis Vuitton and Dior.

The fashion community is rife with speculation that Hedi Slimane may soon step into the role of Artistic Director at Chanel, a position currently subject to much speculation in the fashion landscape. Other high-profile names rumored for the role include John Galliano, Jeremy Scott, and Kim Jones.

Notably, Hedi Slimane had a strong rapport with the late Karl Lagerfeld, who held the creative reins at Chanel for an impressive 36 years.

Interestingly, Slimane’s final collection for Celine, the Fall/Winter 2024 line, has been described by observers as channeling more of Chanel’s essence than Chanel itself.