A symbol of modern minimalism and sophistication, the Celine brand is renowned for its understanding of what women really want to wear. However, while defined for many modern fans by the work of former creative director Phoebe Philo, Celine actually has a long and storied history dating back to the 1940s. Here’s everything you need to know…
1945
Celine is founded by Céline and Richard Vapiana as a made-to-measure children’s shoe store at 52 Rue Malte in Paris. Its first logo is a distinctive red elephant created by cartoonist Raymond Peynet.
1948 Early success sees the Celine chain expand to three more stores.
1960 The brand repositions itself with its first ready-to-wear offering for women. The clothes take a sportswear approach and prioritise function as well as style.
1963 Celine introduces its first women’s shoe line.
1964 Vent Fou, the brand’s first fragrance, is launched featuring notes of jasmine, galbanum and rose.
1966 The Celine range expands to an array of leather accessories, including bags, gloves and belts, made in Florence to ensure quality. 1973 |  A Celine ad campaign from the 1970s |
The elephant logo is replaced with a new design, known as the Blazon Chaine, featuring intertwining Cs inspired by the Arc de Triomphe. The logo is used to create the Celine’s first signature ‘C’ Sulky canvas.
1987
Bernard Arnault buys Celine’s capital and becomes the owner of all 89 of its stores worldwide.
Gisele in Celine SS 2000 ad campaign | 1996 Celine officially becomes part of LVMH in a deal worth 2.7 billion francs ($540 million) and work begins on accelerating its ready-to-wear and accessories collections. Céline Vapiana remains as creative director.
1997 Céline Vapiana dies aged 84 and is immediately succeeded at the brand by Michael Kors. This puts Celine in direct competition with Louis Vuitton and Loewe, both of whom had also received new American creative directors (Marc Jacobs and Narciso Rodriquez respectively) at the same time. Kors’ signature sportswear aesthetic brought to Celine a new accessibility focus on the jet set with collections featuring figure skimming dresses, cashmere sets, swimwear and colourful tailoring. Kors also introduced Celine’s ‘It’ Boogie and Poulbot styles, reinvigorating interest in the brand. 2004 Amid declining sales, and discontent with the way LVMH treated its smaller labels, Kors exits Celine to focus on his eponymous label. Roberto Menichetti, previously of Burberry, takes over at the helm but lasts only a year. |
2006
Ivana Omazic, who has held positions at Prada, Jil Sander and Miu Miu, is appointed as creative director but fails to deliver the results LVMH expects.
2008
Omazic is replaced by Phoebe Philo who proves to be the perfect person to bring this, now somewhat obscure, brand back to fashion’s forefront. Joining from Chloe, Philo showed her first collection for SS10, presenting an elegant, minimalist and precise take on Vapiana’s original aesthetic. Its strong, clean lines speak to contemporary consumers and the brand’s fortunes immediately turn round.
2010
Philo receives the Designer of the Year Award at the British Fashion Awards.
2011
Philo receives the CFDA’s International Designer of the Year Award.
2015
Celine relocates its headquarters to 16 Rue Vivienne in Paris’ 2nd arrondissem*nt.
2017
Séverine Merle is appointed CEO.
2018
After a hugely successful decade at Celine, Philo steps down and is replaced by Hedi Slimane. Fresh from his controversial rebrand of Saint Laurent, Slimane stamps his trademark penchant for super skinny edgy styles on Celine - a move not well received by those who loved the brand under Philo. The debut of Slimane’s first collection sends prices for #oldceline sky rocketing and reviews are roundly disappointing. However, Slimane, with his background in menswear, has managed to expand Celine’s share of the men’s market and critics and consumers alike do seem to have warmed to Slimane’s Celine in the seasons since.
house histories: yves saint laurent | biographies in brief: john galliano |
FAQs
In 1945, Céline Vipiana (1915–1997) and her husband, Richard, created one of the first luxury brands in the industry, Céline, a made-to-measure children's shoe business, and opened a first boutique at 52 rue Malte in Paris. The brand was recognised by its logo, the red elephant created by Raymont Peynet.
What makes Celine unique? ›
Celine handbags are heavily influenced by the philosophy of the brand's namesake founder: they are fashionable in a classy, elegant, and understated manner. The brand's commitment to its ethos of making fashion a part of every women's daily life is reflected in the sturdy functionality of its products.
Is Celine a high end brand? ›
Celine is a luxury French fashion House founded in 1945 by Céline Vipiana and today under the creative direction of Hedi Slimane.
When did Celine start making bags? ›
In 1963, she unveiled a women's shoe line and a year later introduced Vent Fou, the brand's first fragrance that featured notes of galbanum, jasmine, and rose. Vipiana added leather accessories in 1966, including bags, belts, and gloves.
Is Celine owned by Louis Vuitton? ›
Celine S.A is a subsidiary of LVMH Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton SE. It specialises in luxury goods such as clothing, shoes and leather goods.
Who wears Celine? ›
But since then, celebrities have warmed up to the new Celine in ways the fashion industry (still) hasn't. From Lady Gaga to Amandla Stenberg to Dakota Johnson to Natalie Portman and more, the Hollywood crowd and their stylists seem to be into it. (Old Celine was seldom a go-to for stars at step-and-repeats.)
What is Celine most popular item? ›
The most famous Celine bag is 'the Classic,' a structured shoulder bag with a long strap that can be worn crossbody and is made with supple but sturdy box calfskin. They are so popular that we frequently get them in-stock and then they sell right back out again.
What are the weakness of Celine? ›
The second key weakness discovered is that Celine products are not accessible for consumers In the middle to lower class societies. Celine products are priced extremely high due to their craftsmanship, uniqueness and high quality so they are only marketed to the upper to upper-middle class consumers.
What are the brand values of Celine? ›
CELINE is a company which creates affinities, built on a clear value system: sincerity, agility, focus. Internally, everyone is a stakeholder and ambassador for a single, coherent project: to make beautiful, sincere and genuine products which empower women and give them joy in dressing and living for themselves.
Who wears Celine handbags? ›
With a design based on the very Parisian way of wearing a bag, this style was first spotted on Lady Gaga and has since been seen on other celebs including Emma Roberts, Kaia Gerber, Reese Witherspoon and Hailey Bieber.
CELINE Competitors & AlternativesAdd Company
| Competitor Name | Revenue | Employee Growth |
|---|
| #1 Chanel | $7812M | 3% |
| #2 Louis Vuitton | $7839.7M | 3% |
| #3 Hermes | $2293.8M | -9% |
| #4 Prada | $27.5M | N/A |
They might be a little more logo-filled, but their clean and sleek lines make them ultra-chic. The brand has been synonymous with classic French style for years, and the fashion set doesn't seem to be letting go of their love for Celine anytime soon. If you're ready to invest in a Celine bag, look no further.
Why did Celine rebrand? ›
Set in a 1930s modernist font, “The new logo has been directly inspired by the original, historical version that existed in the 1960s,” the caption reads, further explaining that the accent was removed to hearken back to the brand's minimalist 1960s era and “enable a simplified and more balanced proportion.”
Who made Celine famous? ›
In 1988, Céline took the Eurovision Song Contest by storm in Dublin, Ireland. Her international breakthrough came when she recorded the title track for Disney's “Beauty and the Beast”, a song that went to No. 1 and won both an Academy Award and a Grammy.
What is the mission statement of Celine? ›
CELINE is a company which creates affinities, built on a clear value system: sincerity, agility, focus. Internally, everyone is a stakeholder and ambassador for a single, coherent project: to make beautiful, sincere and genuine products which empower women and give them joy in dressing and living for themselves.
What does the Celine Triomphe logo mean? ›
“Triomphe” means “achievement” in direct translation, but many may know the term from the Parisian iconic landmark “Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile”. And yes, that association is accurate: Dating back to 1973, Céline Vipiana – founder of the maison – took inspiration from the famous Parisian monument.
