Celine 'Skate' Men's Spring 2021 Ad Campaign

Review of Celine ‘Skate’ Men’s Spring 2021 Ad Campaign by Creative Director/Photographer Hedi Slimane with models Harvey Morgan & Renat

Skateboarding has been cool since its creation, and it might be the only thing that stays cool forever. Hedi Slimane recognizes this fact, and has recently turned his sights on skateboarding in his quest to capture what is most cool and cutting-edge in youth culture through the lens of Parisian chic. His latest campaign for Celine captures the house’s new Skate collection in his signature portrait photography style.

Young models Harvey Morgan and Renat embody the Celine Homme energy of disaffected yet creative cool. Slimane layers patterned prints and distressed denim over their stick-and-poked, youthfully androgynous bodies, and frames them against the energy of the streets of Ibiza. One image also gives us a glimpse of the new Celine longboard, which was created in collaboration with graphic artist and skater Mermaid Hex.

Though it is an interesting choice to cast two models who look nearly identical (some diversity could have hit a strong note of inclusivity and help to capture that classic skateboard rebelliousness), the campaign does nicely embody the edgy and fashion-forward spirit of skateboarding aesthetics. Hedi Slimane does great work to incorporate this new aesthetic direction into his strong and consistent vision for the house’s image.