Celine (brand)

Celine

Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Fashion
Founded	1945 (1945)
Founder	Céline Vipiana, Richard Vipiana
Headquarters	Paris , France
Key people	Séverine Merle (CEO), Michael Rider (Creative Director)
Products	Luxury fashion, leather accessories, footwear, apparel, fragrances
Owner	LVMH
Website	www.celine.com

Celine (originally Céline, presented in all caps) is a French luxury fashion house established in 1945 by Céline Vipiana. The company's headquarters are located at 16 rue Vivienne, Paris, within the Hôtel Colbert de Torcy, a building recognized as a French Historic Monument.

Since April 2017, Séverine Merle has held the position of CEO. In 2025, Michael Rider, previously associated with Ralph Lauren, took over as creative director following Hedi Slimane’s exit in October 2024.

Founding

Céline Vipiana (1915–1997) and her husband Richard founded one of the pioneering luxury brands in 1945, initially focusing on bespoke children's footwear. Their inaugural store was situated at 52 rue Malte, Paris. The brand became known for its red elephant emblem, crafted by Raymont Peynet.

Shift in Brand Direction

By 1960, the company transitioned toward ready-to-wear women's apparel with an emphasis on sportswear aesthetics. The product range grew to include leather accessories such as handbags, loafers, gloves, and apparel. Céline Vipiana remained the lead designer from the brand’s inception until her retirement in 1988. Notable successes included the 1964 launch of the "Vent fou" fragrance and the "American Sulky" accessory line, with the trench coat emerging as an iconic item. Leveraging leather’s appeal, Céline inaugurated a dedicated leather goods boutique in Florence.

In 1973, the logo was revamped to feature intertwined "C" letters on Sulky canvas, inspired by the Arc de Triomphe and reflecting Parisian heritage. That year also marked international expansion with new stores opening in Monte Carlo, Geneva, Hong Kong, Lausanne, Toronto, and Beverly Hills. Additionally, Richard Vipiana founded the Céline-Pasteur Prize to benefit the American Hospital of Paris.

Integration into LVMH

Bernard Arnault acquired a stake in Céline in 1987 with consent from the Vipiana family. By 1996, LVMH had fully absorbed the brand for 2.7 billion French francs (approximately $540 million). Under LVMH’s ownership, Céline enhanced its luxury market status globally, notably through its flagship boutique at 36 avenue Montaigne in Paris.

Initial Period

• 1988–1997: Peggy Huynh Kinh
• 1997–2003: Michael Kors
• 2004–2005: Roberto Menichetti
• 2005–2008: Ivana Omazic

Phoebe Philo Era (2008–2018)

On September 4, 2008, Bernard Arnault, LVMH’s president, appointed Phoebe Philo as Céline’s creative director. Her debut ready-to-wear collection premiered at Paris Fashion Week for Spring/Summer 2010. Pierre-Yves Roussel, CEO of LVMH’s fashion division, commended her creative vision. In 2009, Vogue identified her style as embodying the “cool minimal trend”.

Philo received the Designer of the Year award from the British Fashion Council in 2010 and was honored as International Designer of the Year by the Council of Fashion Designers of America in 2011 for her influence at Céline. She announced her departure in December 2017 after completing the Fall 2018 collection.

Hedi Slimane, 2018–2024

On January 21, 2018, LVMH appointed Hedi Slimane as the "artistic, creative and image director" of Céline. Under his leadership, the brand expanded its portfolio to encompass menswear, haute couture, and fragrance lines.

Slimane worked primarily from a Los Angeles studio, while maintaining a prototype workshop and atelier in Paris. In September 2018, he unveiled a redesigned Céline logo via Instagram. He also spearheaded the opening of flagship boutiques in key cities including Paris, Tokyo, Shanghai, Beverly Hills, Madrid, Milan, and London. His direction steered the brand’s aesthetic towards his characteristic youthful culture and indie rock influences. Slimane departed from Céline in October 2024.

Michael Rider, 2025–present

LVMH announced on October 2, 2024, that Michael Rider would assume the role of Céline’s creative director starting early 2025. Rider will be responsible for overseeing all product lines ranging from leather accessories to couture collections. Prior to this appointment, he served as creative director at Ralph Lauren Polo from 2018 until May 2024 and previously held the position of design director at Céline during Phoebe Philo’s era.

CEOs

• 2000–2006: Jean-Marc Loubier
• 2006–2008: Serge Brunschwig
• 2008–2016: Marco Gobbetti
• 2016–2017: Pierre-Yves Roussel (interim)
• 2017–present: Séverine Merle

Other activities

In 2000, Céline entered into a global licensing agreement with De Rigo for sunglasses and corrective eyewear frames. From 2011 onward, the brand maintained a five-year licensing partnership with Safilo. Between 2000 and 2011, fragrance development, production, and distribution were managed by Interparfums; since then, these operations have been handled internally.

Retail

Céline currently operates 178 stores worldwide and is distributed selectively through luxury department stores such as Bergdorf Goodman in New York, Harrods in London, Galeries Lafayette in Paris, and Faradays in Auckland.

Marketing

Advertising campaigns for Céline have featured photographers including Patrick Demarchelier (1998–2001) and Michael Thompson (2001). The brand’s ambassadors have included singer Lisa (2020–2024), actor Park Bo-gum (since 2022; notably the first male global ambassador), singer V (since 2023), singer Danielle Marsh (since 2024), boy band TWS (since 2024), and actress Liu Shishi (from December 2024).

External links

• Brand profile at New York magazine Fashion Shows