Questions about the Paris house founded in 1945, from Phoebe Philo’s cult following to Hedi Slimane and Michael Rider, answered from Ayerhs’s reviews of Celine since 2010.
By Shreya S · Last reviewed 31 October 2026
On this page: The house and its founder · The designers · Codes and business · The Ayerhs view
The house and its founder
Who founded Celine, and when?
Céline Vipiana and her husband Richard founded the company in Paris in 1945, making made-to-measure shoes for children. It grew into a leather goods and ready-to-wear house for women in the 1960s, known for practical, polished Parisian clothes. LVMH bought Celine in 1996.
Is it Celine or Céline?
Both are correct for different eras. Hedi Slimane dropped the accent from the logo when he arrived in 2018, so the house is now officially Celine. “Old Céline” has become shorthand for the Phoebe Philo years, and vintage pieces from that era are often listed with the accent.
The designers
Who are Celine’s key designers?
| Designer | Years | Defining idea |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Kors | 1997–2004 | Jet-set American polish |
| Phoebe Philo | 2008–2018 | Intelligent minimalism for women |
| Hedi Slimane | 2018–2024 | Skinny rock-and-roll and 70s bourgeois |
| Michael Rider | 2025– | Preppy Parisian cool |
Why was Phoebe Philo’s Celine so influential?
Philo, who had previously led Chloé, designed Celine for grown-up women who wanted clothes that were clever, comfortable and quietly expensive: wide trousers, crisp shirts, oversized coats and flat shoes. Her first collection, Spring 2010, set the tone. Her devoted fans became known as “Philophiles”, and her minimalism shaped how a generation dressed. She left in 2018 and launched her own label in 2023.
Read on Ayerhs: Celine by Phoebe Philo: A woman’s pride · Spring 2010 · Fall 2012 · Spring 2013 · Fall 2015 · Fall 2018: A Tribute to Phoebe Philo
What did Hedi Slimane do at Celine?
Slimane, who had earlier transformed Dior Homme and Saint Laurent, replaced Philo’s world with his own: skinny tailoring, rock-and-roll youth, menswear and 1970s French bourgeois chic. The change divided Philo’s fans but was a big commercial success. He left in 2024.
Read on Ayerhs: Let’s talk about Hedi Slimane · Celine Spring 2020 Menswear
Who designs Celine now?
Michael Rider, an American designer who worked under Philo at Celine before leading design at Polo Ralph Lauren. He was appointed in 2025. His first collection, Spring 2026, went preppy while keeping Celine’s Parisian cool; Fall 2026 sharpened that into something more Parisian still.
Read on Ayerhs: Celine Spring 2026 · Celine Fall 2026
Codes and business
What are Celine’s signature pieces?
- The Triomphe: the interlocking-C logo, inspired by the chains around the Arc de Triomphe and revived by Slimane.
- Philo-era bags: the Luggage tote, the Trapeze and the Box bag.
- Tailoring: wide trousers, crisp shirts and long coats.
Who owns Celine?
LVMH, which bought the house in 1996. It sits in the same group as Dior, Louis Vuitton and Givenchy.
Read on Ayerhs: The Rise of Fashion Conglomerates
The Ayerhs view
Which Celine era is the best?
Philo’s decade remains the benchmark; Ayerhs has reviewed it collection by collection, and few designers have defined how real women want to dress so precisely. Rider, who learned under her, is the first designer since to bring some of that thinking back, filtered through his own preppy lens.