Michael Rider’s New Celine: The Modern Revival of Heritage Through Refined Styling

What exactly is it that goes into making a highly-coveted return at fashion House as prestigious as Celine; as filling the shoes of Hedi Slimane and Phoebe Philo is not for the faint of heart, but Michael Rider is proving he’s up for the challenge with the debut of his Spring 2026 collection for the French brand.

Is it paying homage to the House’s historic savoir-faire? Or is it bringing back legendary favorites like the Phantom Bag? Or is it maybe proving a fresh perspective and giving it new meaning? For Rider, he definitely brought a blend of each with elevated styling, trademark pieces redefined, and hints of his acclaimed career from other renowned brands. 

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Celine

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Celine

“Celine stands for quality, for timelessness and for style, ideals that are difficult to catch, and even harder to hold on to, to define, despite more and more talk about them out there. We worked on translating them into a way of dressing – that attitude, or attitudes, that we feel describe who we are and what we stand for,” shares Rider.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Celine

Rider, who served as former design director under Phoebe Philo, designed for Nicolas Ghesquière during his prime at Balenciaga, and most recently as creative director of Polo Ralph Lauren, unveiled his debut collection for Celine in a refined fashion paying homage to the House’s signature Parisian codes while breathing a new life into the brand through nods to each of his design phases.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Celine

The male and female models began their descent down the runway set in Paris dressed in the iconic skinny Slimane legs paired with oversized, broad shoulders, but expertly-tailored torso layers of blazers and crisp, collared shirting mirroring that of Phoebe Philo’s complete with luxe, silk scarves tying each look together. An air of preppiness permeated the breadth of the collection, evident in oversized rugby shirts, crewnecks worn over polos, old-school ties, and khaki-like pants — an obvious American touch that traced back to his recent time at Polo Ralph Lauren. 

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Celine

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Celine

Each outfit brought a sense of ease and confidence with a country-club reminiscent attitude designed for the sophisticated but effortless wearer. A plethora of coats and jackets arrived in an array of textures from tweeds to wool to leather, each playing a seamless role in Rider’s art of stylistic layering that’s seen throughout. Rider pays homage to Celine’s French roots through mid-century-inspired pieces like silk scarves, feminine accessories, and classic investment pieces. Structured fur jackets paired with loose trousers and loafers took an edgy take on modern workwear alongside suiting moments with made-to-match blazers and more trousers, sometimes tucked into a high-top boot. Eveningwear arrived with black-and-white dresses featuring a medley of prints and worn with asymmetrical coats and sequin party dressing paired with cropped satin blazers. Models sported a range of sunglasses, from mod rectangular frames to smaller, round shapes to bold, oversized shades. Trench coats were seen as a collection staple along with argyle sweaters. The coveted Phantom Bag made its highly-anticipated return with Rider’s own revamp. The stand-out luggage piece arrived in a larger, slouchier version than its original with an exaggerated, statement-making shape. 

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Celine

“I’ve always loved the idea of clothing that lives on, that becomes a part of the wearer’s life, that may capture a moment in time but also speaks to years and years of gestures and occasions and change, of the past, the present and the future, of memories, of usefulness and of fantasy, of life really,” Rider says closing out his debut collection letter for the House. This collection seems to serve as an ode to preserving the brand’s renowned past while creating new and revitalizing paths forward. 

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