In Haute Pursuit of the New Bourgeoisie
Review of Celine Spring 2026 Fashion Show
By Angela Baidoo
THE COLLECTION
THE VIBE
Intellectually Pleasing, Pleasure Pursuits, Commanding Clothes
Micheal Rider previewed his vision for Celine with a resort show at the tail end of the spring Couture season in July to much critical acclaim, and it not only took the pressure off this season’s debut, but it gave the designer the chance to lay the foundation of what were to be his own interpretations of the house codes.
Far removed from his predecessors fixation on the well-stocked wardrobes of French ‘It’ girls, this version of Celine once again feels instantly accessible to a broader, albeit still ultra-wealthy, customer base. And as with resort there was more to love in Rider’s style – and styling – for the ‘New Celine’ which also carried the spirit of the #OldCeline.
Expanding on his ideas to cater to the new haute bourgeoisie, the designer also managed to present a collection that will have loyalists to the brands Philophile heyday giddy with excitement. But even if there were traces of that era, Rider is very much making this moment his own. From the 1960s floral mini dresses to the peplum military jackets and animal-print kaftans.
This Celine feels intellectually realised, yet accessible for the way he is proposing a fully-fledged offer for all aspects of the customers lifestyle. However far removed this may be from the average luxury consumer there was still plenty to covet. His tailoring was fun and flirty (the double-breasted shrunken blazer and leather-trimmed wrap skirt) or deftly deconstructed (ultra-cropped boleros in embroidered velvet were layered over crisp button-downs), while the new trouser shape suggests a close cut tapered to the ankle is imminent.
Silk scarves also played an important role in the collection once again and could become the next entry-point accessory for those wanting to own a piece of the Rider-era, yet can’t yet stretch to the new ‘Smiling Luggage’ handbags (the large of which is over $5000 and sold out online). Giving each scarf a sleek new relevance, he first wrapped todays invitation in one with a contrast blue border, tucked others around the collars of jackets, used them to line trench coats, affixed them to slimline clutch bags, and most intriguing was his scarf print jersey tops with ruched detail and a swooping asymmetric swathe of silk knotted and draped to the floor. Updating the way the ‘scarf top’ is typically styled for summer.
The influential reigns of both Phoebe Philo and Hedi Slimane would have proved a tough act to follow for any designer coming into a French luxury house as storied as Celine, but Rider has pedigree (working under both Nicolas Ghesquière and Philo herself), and in only two short seasons the new creative director has proven he is fully versed in what fans and loyalists expect and he is delivering in a way that will give Celine its next great chapter.
THE DIRECTION
THE WRAP UP
Michael Rider’s Spring 2026 collection confirmed what his resort preview had hinted at — that the house is entering a new, assured era under his direction. The new creative director has understood the essence of the new haute Bourgeoisie and is creating clothes that are refining the Celine codes, while defining a few of his own along the way.
