CATWALKSHedi Slimane's proposal for the next season can be summarized as a concatenation of round garments to have round looks

By María José Pérez Méndez

For several seasons, a Celine show has been synonymous with commercial trends that, as soon as you are more or less alert, it is easy to find replicated in a thousand and one places as the months go by. No, it is not easy to come up with that formula that balances practicality and sales success with the spirit of the firm for which one works, a merit that must be granted to Hedi Slimane. Few creative directors have that capacity to transform what is always desirable, and if the designer has done anything, it is to show that he is in that privileged group. The same one that in recent months has been favored by the change in the public's relationship with wardrobes, clothes and daily looks: finally it seems that thinking about what will triumph in a massive way when it comes to designing has ceased to be be a sin There's nothing wrong with focusing on concepts like staples, wardrobe essentials, and of course, the capsule wardrobe; ideas that do not even have to be formulated, but are present both in the choice of garments and in their execution, forgetting deconstructed patterns and high doses of ornaments. And they are just the ones that may come to mind when watching the latest Celine by Hedi Slimane show, which presents its fall-winter 2021/2022 collection.

In video format and with the gardens of the Vaux-le-Vicomte Palace as a backdrop, Slimane has once again presented his own version of the Parisians, with that French allure that, on this occasion, has stood out more than ever : This is what usually happens when there are simple pieces involved. It is true that there has also been space for garments that meet the coordinates of what is stunning, such as sequined slip dresses or armed skirts that seem inspired by crinolines, as well as some glittering blouse. The curious thing is that all of them have appeared combined with other eminently informal garments, in a work of styling that is pure street style and that also seems to capture the feeling of the moment: in a context in which a simple walk in the park can Being the event of the week, occasions once considered special are no longer expected. For this reason, the canonical slip dresses are covered with oversized checkered jackets and the romantic shirts are combined with straight jeans, one of the most repeated pants in the presentation. They, and a handful of other hypnotically direct elements, make up what could be called the Celine by Hedi Slimane capsule wardrobe.

Jeans

It's only fair to start with them. They have been central elements in Slimane's collections for the firm since the creative director landed on it, and if confirmation was needed, here it is. There are models of all kinds, but the challenges and blues (washed, both with and without tears) and the wide leg stand out again, which have also been seen in black.

The blazers

As with jeans, there have been several models of jackets that have dotted the Celine by Hedi Slimane show. There are the long classic ones, the checked ones, the pinstriped ones and also the cropped versions that seem made for and for the night, but all of them have an air of classicism that guarantees that they will age well in the closet. As expected, they combine with any other garment in this wardrobe, from shirts with ties to tops with side slits, another of the outstanding garments in this collection.

Skirts and 'midi' dresses

It's not that there aren't short lengths at Celine by Hedi Slimane, but those that go past the knee line and open a bit, giving more movement to the garment, they have won the game. Most of the skirts and dresses that conform to these maxims have a slightly liquid quality, clinging at times to legs that were topped off either by blunt flat boots or black loafers with white socks.

The basic 'tops' with a twist

They are the ones that can be found time and time again, that is, those that are apparently simple but have a twist in their making that makes them out of the predictable. For Slimane's Celine, that means lateral cutouts that create asymmetries, especially in the abdomen and cleavage area.

The caps

After the success of this accessory in the spring-summer 2021 collection, it is not surprising that it appears again in the winter. Its appearance rate has been lower, but the looks it completes are forceful enough not to lose sight of, especially the red and black checkered ones.

Jackets and coats of all kinds

It does not seem concrete in the case of a capsule wardrobe, but there has been a huge variety in the presentation. There are the classic trench coats that vary from one to another in colors and some detail but that, even so, prefers the company of pants; the large bomber jackets, which promote that urban air that usually accompanies the (wonderful) cliché of the Parisian woman; straight round neckline and jeweled buttons that promote classicism, and puffer coats, which choose leather-like finishes to add sophistication.

Sweatshirts

It is another of the pieces that has been repeated the most, something that is evident thanks to the gray hoods that finished off a good handful of jackets, peeking out indiscreetly to enhance the casual mixes that do not they had it as their main tonic. A detail? These are not closed sweatshirts, but versions with a central zip that are worn open, to allow all the layers of the look to be visible.

A garment that used to be at night and now comes out during the day

That is, a sequined garment, as already indicated. It is a trend that, although before it might sound contradictory, in this new spirit that invites you to use them at any time (in a kind of rebound effect after not being able to leave the house and living in leggings) makes all the sense in the world. We must not lose sight of the lingerie dresses, but the skirt inspired by a crinoline is one of the most outstanding (and fantasy) of the collection.

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