Michael Rider’s CELINE Debut Is a Quiet Masterclass in Timelessness

The mood at CELINE’s SS26 show in Paris was one of quiet conviction—an understated triumph marked by intimacy, memory, and a powerful sense of homecoming. Back at 16 rue Vivienne, the brand’s historic headquarters, newly appointed creative director Michael Rider, who previously worked at Celine under Phoebe Philo, was presenting his first collection as Creative Director for the brand.

In his accompanying show note, Rider spoke of emotion—of returning to CELINE in a “changed world”—and that sentiment bled into every stitch, silhouette, and styling decision. “We worked on translating [timelessness, quality, and style] into a way of dressing—an attitude,” he wrote. And indeed, what walked down the runway wasn’t trend-chasing, but time-traveling: garments that felt lived-in and destined to be lived in again.

‍

This collection put the essentials on the forefront: softly tailored blazers with masculine slouch, sheer silk camisoles peeking beneath structured trench coats, and low-slung trousers that felt both undone and razor-sharp. Black and camel dominated, but punctuated moments—a crushed rose hue here, a golden lamé flicker there, a green-blue duo—reminded us that CELINE has always excelled in that balance between Parisian cool and raw sensuality.

Where Hedi Slimane’s CELINE leaned into youth culture and sharp-edged rebellion, Rider’s interpretation is softer but no less directional.

‍

What struck most about the collection wasn’t just the impeccable cut or the plush, quiet luxury of the fabrics—it was the feeling that each piece had a story. A velvet evening coat looked like it had danced through decades. A simple white shirt seemed to carry the patina of memory. These weren’t clothes made for Instagram, no. You best bet these pieces will be your best friends for a few decades to come.

In a fashion landscape crowded with noise and novelty, Rider’s CELINE offers a different kind of allure: elegance as endurance. “I’ve always loved the idea of clothing that lives on, that becomes a part of the wearer’s life,” he wrote. That philosophy was embodied on the catwalk this season.

There was no bombast, no viral gimmickry, no post-show Instagram blitz. Instead, CELINE SS26 marked the start of what feels like a deeply personal dialogue between the house, its new designer, and the women who wear it. It was a love letter to longevity, authored in wool, silk, and leather.

Michael Rider’s return may not have broken the internet—but it just might have restored a little bit of fashion’s soul.

More on Celine.com