Former Saint Laurent creative director and reigning king of the skinny jean Hedi Slimane has been at the reins of Celine for a few years now, putting his artfully slim stamp on everything he touches. Slimane has long been fascinated with youth culture and rock and roll, but in recent seasons, he’s shifted his attention slightly—aware, perhaps, that today’s cool kids are more likely to spend their time on social media than listening to Stones records. Practically, that has meant sending TikTok stars down the runway—and now, releasing a collection of sneakers that take inspiration from the heyday of breakdancing.
The kicks all carry a similar silhouette, with a stiff mid-top and basketball-inspired design—think of an Air Jordan 1 that has been tricked out with high-end details. Each sneaker is made of 100% calfskin leather and comes with the type of luxe details that one expects from a label like Celine: precision perforations dot the upper, embossed logos at the back and tongue, and side trimmings with clean-as-can-be graphic lines. Some colorways skew stark and minimalist, and others feature bolder colors that make for a much flashier shoe. Revisiting the runway looks and seeing how Slimane has styled the sneakers provides an interesting angle, too. One pair is worn with an oversized leather jacket, skinny-as-hell black jeans, and a chain wallet, while another is paired with a tie-dyed T-shirt and slightly roomier polka dot pants. You’ve got options.
Slimane has always looked to youth when it comes to inspiration. For years at Saint Laurent, that meant the high energy of rock n’ roll, and now, for this collection at Celine, that means looking to today’s TikTok culture and the embrace of dance that comes along with it. Looking to breakdancing fashion of yesteryear and modernizing it for today’s Internet-obsessed consumer is fusing old-meets-new that feels hugely of the moment. And, of course, leave it to Slimane to make a classic sneaker style feel new again.
