Writer Christopher Bollen takes a walk in the gardens of the Palais-Royal — and a predictable new attitude emerges to discuss Michael Rider’s newly-found fame as artistic director of Celine. That descripter calls Rider’s Celine “joyous and (even in our current moment) wildly optimistic.”
Given the supersonic success of Chanel, is it time to take a fresh look at feelings of joy and their impact on the brain and wellbeing? It’s a sacrilege among upper crust people to speak of joy in fashion, but maybe . . . just maybe New Humanism thinking is having an impact.
Anne believes that the list of Americans in Paris, housed by LVMH and other big names in fashion, may be ruffling more than a few French media and PR feathers in fashion world. Put it this way, AOC has added that filter to the context lens through which we process fashion criticism generally and, most definitely, in Paris.
Celine’s [IG] creative director Michael Rider claimed his rightful place as a designer to be taken seriously, as the Fall-Winter 2026 shows came to an end in Paris this week. As Rider’s own branding vision takes shape, American film director Gus Van Sant [IG] turned his attention to Celine’s Fall 2026 cast.
Rider, an American with strong credentials at Phoebe Philo and Polo Ralph Lauren scored praise from AOC for his focus on the client and how she lives.
Finally, in an imaginary tale made up by Anne, we have a horse race in which Celine suddenly makes a breakout move and comes racing straight for Dior. A madcap scene follows with words of wisdom from Xi Jinping.
Celine designer and artistic director Michael Rider shares a new Spring 2026 Campaign with a focus on bags. Four models — Boma Sunday, Kylie Young, Svetlana Lethelier and Victoria Blecher — are styled by Ewa Kluczenko in key pieces from The Garance, The Cabas New Luggage, The Besace Soft Triomphe and more collections.
PhotographerZoe Ghertner [IG] is in the studio, with creative direction by Charles Levai and Kevin Tekinel./ Hair by Duffy; makeup by Lucia Pieroni
“At Ralph Lauren, no one would accept that I was American—I was French to them,” the designer reflects. “And my whole life in Europe, I have always been the most American person in the room.”
