Hedi Slimane‘s achingly sharp and sleek rock ‘n’ roll aesthetic is so distinctive it transcends everything he does – from the clothes, to the store architecture, to his photographs, and right down to his new perfume collection at Celine. When it comes to his jewellery designs, the man who has been at the helm of Celine’s reinvention since he was announced as the brand’s creative director in January 2018, takes a more romantic approach.
The newly launched Separables and Maillons Triomphe lines of aged gold-toned brass costume jewellery showcase this side of Slimane’s personality nicely. The former features a series of pendants that come in a variety of vintage-inflicted designs. Think a locket style medallion that can be opened to reveal a mirror, a plaque-shaped pendant engraved with the Triomphe logo, or a miniature sculpture of the Arc de Triomphe. If they all look like pieces you’d cop from a trip to the vintage store, that’s the point.
Meanwhile, the Maillons Triomphe series features the chain link motif that has become synonymous as an emblem of Celine since the ’70s, when it appeared as a pattern used on anything from bags to accessories. Slimane resurrected that retro symbol in his It bags like the, well, Triomphe for his debut Spring/Summer 2019 collection. This time, the design lands as a glamorous accent on otherwise minimalist designs for earrings, ring, cuff and sautoir.
