Celine Welcomes a New Creative Era Under Michael Rider

The maison’s newly minted creative director unveils his Spring/Summer '26 debut.

Published on Jul 8, 2025

On Sunday, July 6, Celine unveiled its Spring/Summer 2026 collection with a 72-look presentation led by the house’s new creative director, Michael Rider. Held at its historic headquarters on Rue Vivienne in Paris, the show marked the beginning of a new design chapter for the French maison.

Before taking the reins at Celine, Michael served as creative director at Polo Ralph Lauren from 2018 to May 2024. He officially joined Celine in October 2024, succeeding Hedi Slimane, who led the house for nearly six years. Earlier in his career, he spent four years at Balenciaga under Nicolas Ghesquière, before joining Celine as design director of ready-to-wear from 2008 to 2018—a period that overlapped with Phoebe Philo’s celebrated tenure.

Now, his return to Celine is being hailed as an emotional homecoming for the American designer. “Coming back to Celine, and to Paris, back to 16 rue Vivienne in a changed world, has been incredibly emotional for me. And a complete joy,” he shared in the show notes.

Scroll on to see the highlights from Michael’s debut collection for the house.

LOOK:

Celine Unveils Its Spring/Summer 2026 Ready-to-Wear Line

Michael immediately sets forth a distilled vision for his creative reign at Celine.

Silhouettes were fluid but never formless, anchored by razor-sharp tailoring and styled with practiced nonchalance. Throughout the collection, there was a studied balance: softness tempered by structure, restraint offset by color, and timelessness refracted through a contemporary lens.

While firmly forward-facing, the collection nodded to Celine’s lineage of creative directors—from Michael Kors’ sport-inflected aesthetic (1997–2003), to Phoebe Philo’s minimalist femininity (2008–2017), and Hedi Slimane’s rock-driven sensibilities (2018–2024).

What emerged was a wardrobe of elevated essentials—logo sweaters, darted trousers, printed scarves, and boxy coats—all styled to feel lived-in yet refined. Credit goes to stylist Brian Molloy, who injected an expressive touch through bold accessorizing. The collection found its rhythm in the interplay of contrasts: tailored but relaxed, preppy with a streak of street.

Standout looks from the runway. PHOTOS: COURTESY OF CELINE.

A palette of monochromes, soft neutrals, and sandy camel tones laid the foundation for the collection. But jolts of vibrant hues—emerald green, bright red, and cobalt blue—punctuated the looks like chromatic exclamations. These shades appeared layered through fine-gauge knits, crisp cotton shirting, silk scarves, and tailored neckties, injecting visual tension into the otherwise muted palette.

In the accessories department, oversized gold pieces, such as arched brooches, weighty belt buckles, and stacked rings, added a tactile counterpoint to the collection’s clean lines.

One of the standout moments was the return of the Celine Phantom bag. First introduced in 2011 and known for its boxy, winged silhouette, the functional top handle has now been reimagined in an elongated east-west iteration.

Details from the Celine Spring 26 runway

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF CELINE.

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Preview StyleSpotting:

The Stylish Guests at the Celine Spring/Summer 2026 Show

Michael Rider's debut as creative director drew a stylish crowd of A-listers from all over the world. The front row was packed with celebrities clad in head-to-toe Celine, including the brand's trifecta of South Korean superstar muses: V of BTS, actor Park Bo Gum, and singer-actress Suzy Bae. Asian style stars such as Thailand’s Earn Muien, and Chinese actresses Gengxi Li and Shishi Liu were also in attendance, alongside Hollywood personalities like Naomi Watts, Dan Levy, Alanis Morissette, and more.

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF CELINE

Pau is Preview’s go-to fashion girl. On most days, you’ll find her with headphones on, coffee in hand, and likely dressed in an oversized blazer and floor-grazing jeans.