Hedi Slimane to join Céline as artistic, creative and image director

Hedi Slimane has been announced as the new artistic, creative and image director of LVMH-owned Céline and will take up the new position from the start of next month.

The former creative chief of Kering-owed Saint Laurent, replaces British designer Phoebe Philo who announced she was stepping down from the role of creative director for Céline before Christmas. Slimane's role will encompass a wider remit as he will be charged with extending the brand into menswear, couture and fragrances.

LVMH chairman and chief executive Bernard Arnault said he was happy to be welcoming Slimane back to the LVMH group, where he had headed up Dior Homme between 2000 and 2007. "He is one of the most talented designers of our time. I have been a great admirer of his work since we collaborated on Dior Homme, which he launched to global critical acclaim in the 2000s.

"His arrival at Céline reinforces the great ambitions that LVMH has for this Maison. Hedi will oversee and develop all creativity for both women’s and men’s fashion, but also for leather goods, accessories and fragrances. He will leverage his global vision and unique aesthetic virtuosity in further building an iconic French Maison," Arnault said.

Speaking of his appointment, Slimane said: “I am delighted to join Bernard Arnault in this all-embracing and fascinating mission for Céline. I greatly look forward to returning to the exciting world of fashion and the dynamism of the ateliers”.

Sidney Toledano, who recently stepped up from the role of Dior CEO to head up the whole of the LVMH fashion group, said: “Hedi Slimane is an exceptional designer, complete artist and passionate about his work.  I am certain that he will bring his renowned creative energy and discipline to lead Céline to ever greater success."

Slimane left Saint Laurent, which he joined in 2012, in March 2016 and was replaced by Anthony Vaccarello, formerly of Versace's Versus brand. Speculation had been mounting in the past year that Philo intended to stand down from Céline and, while it was said when she announced her departure that she had no plans to immediately take up another fashion post, she has been linked to a move to Burberry to replace outgoing chief creative officer Christopher Bailey.

Bailey stands down from the Burberry board in March and will leave the business at the end of the year, however it was revealed last week that Louis Vuitton's menswear artistic director Kim Jones has also stood down. Jones too has been cited as a possible replacement for Bailey, but is also understood to have held talks about taking over as creative chief at Versace.