Celine: Catching Hedi’s last for the house?

Hedi Slimane’s latest “show” for Celine consisted of a video, and for a few guests the chance to check out the full array of cloths on racks in the house’s communications showroom on rue Racine. This turned out to be one of the five best collections so far this season anywhere. Even, as rumor would have it, it may be Hedi’s last for the house.

Just like the location of the video – the halls and parklands of Chateau de Compiégne – the collection was classy, cohesive and cool. Just like its soundtrack, Nico and The Velvet Underground, the clothes referenced the swinging Sixties. Though again like the tune – Femme Fatale – their mood and mode felt timeless.

Principally cut Celine lean, in Hedi’s signature slimline silhouette, jaunty boleros in glazed lambskin; neat riding jackets in suede, short, flared wool skirts; divine beaded tank tops.

Talk about Entente Cordiale, Londond swinging sixties blends with St Germain intelligentsia, in a collection whose kick off point was Slimane re-reading La Chamade by Sagan.

And all rather classy: from the beige sequined cardies and densely sewn bugle bead jackets; to some really great crocketed cocktails embroidered with metallic flowers courtesy of Montex, the famed supplier that is part of the Chanel-own group of artisan suppliers Par Affection.

And what do you know! An absolutely perfect houndstooth tweed suit that Mademoiselle Gabrielle Chanel would surely have been happy to wear.

Presented around Hedi’s video, with close ups of a Nico meets Francoise Sagan lady prominent, the collection also included a couture section. A series of skillfully draped black silk faille and gros grains volume gowns where French sixties classism meets a modern twist. They didn’t say couture in their labels but that is what they were.

Paris has been abuzz with rumors that Slimane has downed tools at Celine, and not been in the house’s design studio on rue Vivienne in months. Asked about it, polite PRs responded diplomatically that when Phoebe Philo left the house in 2017, “we heard about the move after the press.” Slimane remains many insiders favorite to win the most coveted job in fashion, designer of Chanel.

Hence, and quite frankly, as either a farewell display for Celine, or a calling card for a new position, it must be said. This was nigh on perfect.

Good to see Gabriela Hearst back doing Gabriela Hearst, focusing on what she does best – real clothes that express her own innate joie de vivre, and love of classy goddesses.

After the hiatus designing for Chloé, she seems fully back in synch with her own oeuvre. And in synch with good fortune. After drizzling in the morning, the rain held off during her show, staged in the garden of Karl Lagerfeld’s former home the Hotel Pozzo di Borgo, a St Germain cut stone mansion.

There was lots of flourishes about the whole collection and nothing too par-fetched. Opening with Niamh, the Irish goddess of the seas, seen in a speckled sheer georgette dress; followed by goddess Freyja, in a kicky choice of intricate leather mesh cocktails and tops. Authoritative but never too ethereal in a show that also featured some great golden bouclé looks, riffing on Amazonian deity Amaru, a fabric used in a dashing men’s suits in this co-ed show.

All backed up by a great live performance of indie country rock by Wesley Schultz of the Luminals, backed by the Felice Brothers.

Gabriela took her bow with the usual enthusiasm, stomping down the wooden boardwalk, rounding to salute the band; and embracing a half-dozen friends and family, with a final big kiss for hubby. She looked elated, and after this collection she should be.

It looked like it was going to be great show when one arrived at Zimmermann at Monday lunchtime, with the 80-meter-long curving set in the Palais de Tokyo projecting a beautiful video of surfers in rolling waves.

It also sounded very much like a Zimmermann show, with all the fashionable, finely attired young granddames from Sydney’s inner suburbs – from Vaucluse to Paddington – the air full of women pronouncing “Paris and fabulous” with multiple emphatic As.

But when the action started and cast appeared, the surfers disappeared, replaced by streaking light that did not do the collection justice. And, for once, Nicky Zimmerman seemed several points off her A Game.

One could certainly applaud her for taking a few risks, even if not all her experiments panned out. One could admire the many ruffle chiffon ideas, gowns and wraps largely sheer and ideal for a pool party or terrace cocktail. Plus, her use of lace and guipure was excellent, in mini cocktails, elongated blouses or magnificent tunics.

She also dreamed up some great prints but oddly used them in over-buckled trenches or diaphanous gowns with trains, drowning the cast. And too often the tailoring – parkas, trench and splash coats – looked bulky, the volume heavy.

While the upbeat surf punk of the pre-show, was succeeded by repetitive garage rock, another misstep by a designer normally so in control of her agenda.

Looks like she will have to wait for the next good wave, like so many surfers before her.