Review of Celine Homme ‘Celine At Le Palace’ Winter 2023 Ad Campaign by Creative Director & Photographer Hedi Slimane with models Artie Aylott, Emil Tannhäuser, and Stig Wrethed
Celine carries forward an iconic legacy of music and community with its Winter 2023 men’s campaign. With creative direction and photography by Hedi Slimane, the campaign revisits the blockbuster Celine Homme Winter 2023 runway show.
The show was held at Paris’ iconic Le Palace nightclub, which was a mainstay of Parisian nightlife in the late 70s and early 80s that has since reopened as a theater and concert space. Created by impresario Fabrice Emaer (AKA “The Prince of the night”) in 1978, the club was patronized by intellectuals, actors, designers, and American and European jetsetters who were drawn to its flamboyant DJ Guy Cuevas, extravagant theme parties and performances, and rule-breaking mix of club goers that threw together rich and poor, gay and straight, black and white.
The runway collection and campaign offers a Celine take on this proto-punk legacy of an inclusive and eccentric creative and musical community.
Captured as always by Slimane, the photographic element of the campaign features black-and-white portraits of the designer’s favorite delicate punk archetype dressed in key looks from the collection, as well as shots of some of the nightclub’s appointments, such as lighting rigs and disco balls, that develop the theme of nocturnal rock-and-roll decadence.
The film continues Hedi Slimane’s smart approach of using his runway show assets as communications and content, making for a sort of hybrid runway show and campaign film. The opening black-and-white shots channel the energy and anticipation of awaiting the show, offering looks at the celebrities front row, the final preparations backstage, and the atmosphere of the show space. Color footage enters the mix as the models take to the runway, with footage of the after party – which featured performances from rock bands The Murder Capital and The Libertines, as well as a slew of DJs – woven in as well.
The event is an excellent example of Hedi Slimane’s distinct take on fashion’s intersection with art and music, as well as his incredibly consistent brand identity. Leveraging runway assets into a narrative-driven campaign and a hard-to-top celebrity constellation, Celine delivers a night of rock and roll to remember.
Celine Creative Director | Hedi Slimane
Photographer | Hedi Slimane
Models | Artie Aylott, Emil Tannhäuser, Stig Wrethed
Location | Le Palace Theatre, Paris