Hedi Slimane Reportedly May Exit Celine Amid Contract Negotiations With LVMH

Hedi Slimane is currently negotiating his contract with LVMH and could be departing as the Creative Director of Celine, Business of Fashion reported, citing those familiar with the matter.

Slimane was tapped to head Celine in 2018 after Phoebe Philo stepped down from the brand. Under Slimane, Celine expanded into menswear, couture, fragrances and beauty. The designer also brought his signature all-black, slim-fit aesthetic to the fashion house, a look he’s honed throughout his tenures at Dior and Yves Saint Laurent.

While sales at Celine initially dropped when Slimane took the reins, consumers have seemingly come around to the aesthetic rebrand from Philo’s minimalist leanings. According to BoF, Celine’s revenues surpassed $2.1 billion in 2023, a record high for the brand.

Slimane’s six-year contract with LVMH came to a close in early 2024 and while the designer and conglomerate are still in active negotiations, no announcement has been made regarding the continuation of his tenure.

The publication reported that Slimane demands a higher-than-average salary, even for a designer of his stature, as well as royalties on all products coming out of the brand, from “campaigns to perfume formulas.” Slimane also exercises full creative control over Celine – while this certainly contributed to the successful redirection of the house and its launch of new products, it also presents lofty investments on projects that often get cut in their final stages, per BoF.

Others reported that LVMH is interviewing designers for the role. The conglomerate has still yet to fill Givenchy’s Creative Director slot after Matthew M. Williams left at the end of 2023, meaning losing another star designer could be a risk LVMH doesn’t want to take.