The sun machine is coming down, and we’re gonna have a party...
Where else but L'Olympia for Celine Homme Fall Winter 2022? Where the red velvet seats and unwitting stage are soaked in history, and the hallowed walls have played host to more music icons than we care to count. It's here at the oldest concert hall in Paris where Hedi Slimane presents his homage to the rock star, a leather and lamé spectacle aptly titled 'Boy Doll'.
In a video lensed by Slimane himself, the synth-heavy dangerous coo of Swedish ShitKid ushers in the first look, a studded leather bomber jacket paired with distressed denim, a sequin crew neck and tinted sunglasses worthy of a rock star. The effect is subtle, but the tribute to Rebel Without A Cause James Dean and his contemporaries is unmistakable.
Leather continues to have its run, with a suit that could serve as the Le Smoking prototype. One that's accessorised with a shoelace-thin tie. It wouldn't be a Hedi Slimane collection without a nod to 70s glam rock, but for Fall the designer was given the opportunity to unleash it in droves. Drawing on the indelible style of David Bowie, who by no accident also performed at L'Olympia, hair was slick and oiled back.
Modern silhouettes are embellished with a feminine flourish. Swishy gold and silver tinsel is fashioned into a poncho. 80s era windbreakers and hoodies are swathed in tight knit sequins and swatches of animal print. The presence of a leopard pattern coat harks back to hair metal, as does the platform motorcycle boots. At one point a slouchy red and black motorcycle jacket staggers into view, conjuring images of Michael Jackson in Thriller.
Overall, it's a collection weighty with references to music history, pulling from every era as though trying to compete with L'Olympia itself, who hosted heavy hitters like Serge Gainbourg, Billie Holliday, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan and Edith Piaf.
Near the end, a molten gold ensemble reaches for our hearts, a near perfect picture of Ziggy Stardust himself. It's a collection that feels like Slimane at his most authentic, his most palpable. And it has us chanting, long live the rock star.
Watch the Fall Winter Celine Homme show, below.
