Runway Review: Celine SS21 — ‘The Dancing Kid’
Who had Celine collabing with Lil Huddy on their quarantine bingo card?
Hedi Slimane returned to present Zara’s — I mean, Saint Laurent SS16; wait, no, I mean Celine — Spring/Summer 2021 collection, entitled “The Dancing Kid,” a collection about Tiktok, in case you couldn’t tell from the millions of different ways it was shoved down your throat. Like most of Slimane’s collections, this collection is about “Youth Culture,” a phrase which is so generic and broad that it has no meaning. Unlike his previous work though, “The Dancing Kid” takes modern youth culture, adds a slight Hedi flare that is only distinguishable if you know his previous work, repackages it, and sends it back out to the kids of today. Serenity now!
To say that Hedi dropped the ball on this collection is an understatement. The promo images leaked prior to the show hinted at a new direction for Celine, which we *technically* got. A designer of his stature should be creating trends, yet this is the most transparent attempt to follow a trend I’ve ever seen. The whole TikTok/eboy aesthetic became a thing organically, from the ground up, so it’s a bit off putting to then try and turn around and sell it back to the people who made it famous. If Slimane was offering anything unique it’d be one thing, but this collection is him cashing in on a movement he was never a part of. To me, this is in the same vein of Urban Outfitters biting entire waves. I mean, those loud, Celine-branded side bags are destined for an Instagram skate edit at Venice Beach, aren’t they? And a hat that reads “Nail Me To This Wave” — this collection is very honest about its intentions. And it’s a good thing there’s no room for interpretation; one of the last looks is a knitted sweater depicting a clown face, which is perfect, because you’re a clown if you pay Celine money for this collection.
It’s a shame, too. Slimane’s unique understanding of androgyny could’ve been very valuable at providing something innovative, but instead, we got plaid skirts over jeans. When looking at the styles prevalent on TikTok, you’ll see boys in nail polish and skirts. It’s a different androgyny than what Slimane is used to creating, but it’s androgyny all the same. There was a ready and willing audience for something fresh, yet Slimane chose the easiest path in front of him. Regardless of the looks of the collection, I can’t praise a designer of his stature for pulling out all the stops to chase the look of the moment.
There is something odd about praising this collection for being “new” and “fresh” stuff from Slimane, especially because there are so many looks that are almost identical to his previous shows. This black and red leather jacket is exactly the same as one he designed during his Spring/Summer 2016 show for Saint Laurent, barring the lack of bedazzling on the lapel. The patchwork vest is highly reminiscent of one from the same season. And “The Dancing Kid” returns to the hats and clout goggles that makes this show look a bit like a garage sale at Kurt Cobain’s estate. I’m all for a designer digging into their own archives and celebrating their cultural heritage, but this is straight regurgitation.
Slimane’s work generally revolves around a narrow definition of youth culture, specifically pertaining to his rock and roll youth. He spent the gap between the end of his Dior tenure and his start at Saint Laurent in Los Angeles, documenting underground rock shows during the Burger Records era. His clothes rehash his perception of rock and roll, rechanneling them for a younger generation equally as submersed in the field as he is. That’s what has made him successful. He’s not someone who is going to wow you with his vision or creativity. Slimane is a master tailor, and someone who has a very clear understanding of his product and how it fits in the marketplace. There’s very little doubt that this collection will sell — after all, no high fashion brand has really tried to reach this demographic as directly as Celine — but at what cost?
There was a certain familiarity about this collection that I couldn’t quite place. It’s not just the Tiktok explore page — there’s something in here that strikes a nerve, something that’s been buried deep in my subconscious for years. Once I realized what it was, my life changed forever.
I guess LMFAO technically counts as youth culture, right?
Discotheque’s Runway Reviews run every Friday at 10 a.m. ET. Next week, we’ll be reviewing Jil Sander’s Spring/Summer 2012 collection.