Michael Rider is reshaping Celine menswear with a playful approach to proportion, color and styling, bringing renewed energy to the French luxury house. Since becoming artistic director, Rider has introduced unexpected details, relaxed tailoring and a distinctive sense of individuality that is attracting attention from fashion retailers and customers alike.
His recent collections feature everything from fringed headbands and ultra-thin belts to glossy satin fabric wrapped around the neck or carried as an accessory. These unusual touches reflect what Rider calls “flair” — the small, unexpected details that can transform familiar clothing into something personal.
His spring 2027 menswear show and fall 2026 presentation have earned him the WWD 2026 Honor for Menswear Designer of the Year, a notable achievement considering that he joined Celine less than two years ago and has presented only one dedicated menswear runway show so far.
A New Chapter for Celine
Rider took over the creative direction of Celine in early 2025, succeeding Hedi Slimane, who introduced menswear to the brand when he joined in 2018.
Founded in 1945 by Céline Vipiana, the house initially built its reputation around footwear before expanding into a broader luxury fashion business. It became part of LVMH in 1996 and later received international attention under American designer Michael Kors, who led the brand until 2004.
Rider already knew Celine well. From 2008 to 2018, he served as ready-to-wear design director, working under Phoebe Philo. He later became a senior designer at Balenciaga before joining Polo Ralph Lauren’s womenswear department.
A graduate of Brown University in Rhode Island, Rider brings experience across major fashion houses, combining an understanding of established luxury with a distinctly personal approach to modern dressing.
His guiding principles are captured in two phrases: “Classics with bite” and “Character over costume.”
Rather than relying on dramatic reinvention, he refreshes familiar wardrobe staples through subtle adjustments, unexpected combinations and a lived-in finish.
Backstage at Celine men’s spring 2027. Adam Katz Sinding
The Art of Adding Flair
For Rider, the appeal of fashion lies in experimentation. His collections explore different proportions, scales, colors and accessories, encouraging customers to approach clothing with a sense of play.
The satin rectangles appearing in his recent shows offer one example. Inspired by traditional menswear details such as handkerchiefs and pocket squares, Rider wanted to create something that felt more contemporary and less predictable.
He explained that although he does not necessarily want to wear a conventional pocket square himself, he appreciates the individuality that an accessory can bring.
That philosophy extends to the rest of his collections. A fringed headband, a narrow belt cinching a coat or an unexpected styling choice can provide the personality that makes an outfit memorable.
Rider describes his creative process as something similar to a musical jam session. He and his design team experiment with garments, try different combinations and build on the ideas that excite them.
“We make the things we want and we make the characters we want to be,” he explained, emphasising the importance of trying pieces on and developing ideas collaboratively.
For Rider, Celine is not defined by one narrow aesthetic. Its wardrobe can accommodate formal and casual clothing, preppy references, punk influences, sporty pieces and bohemian touches.
“Great clothes are great clothes,” he said.
Color, Texture and a Lived-In Finish
Color has become an important feature of Rider’s vision for Celine menswear. During the presentation of his fall 2026 collection, stacks of sweaters in a wide range of shades demonstrated his interest in building a wardrobe around color.
He describes color as one of the first elements the team considers when developing a collection and an essential foundation of the design process.
His approach is balanced by a preference for garments that feel personal rather than pristine. Although the clothing is carefully constructed, it often carries an almost heirloom-like quality, as if it has already become part of the wearer’s life.
That sensibility also appears in Rider’s own style. He favours casual clothing, curly hair that falls naturally and accessories with personal significance.
Speaking about the deliberately scuffed sneakers featured in his spring 2027 collection, he observed that there is something unusual about a brand-new shoe.
He also frequently wears rings and a beaded necklace made by a close friend, formerly known in club culture as Walt Paper, who now creates jewellery.
Rider says he has never met a bead he did not like, describing a small flash of color around someone’s neck as both stylish and sensual.
These personal preferences offer a glimpse into the design philosophy behind his collections: clothing becomes more interesting when it carries character, history and individuality.
Subtle Details Make the Difference
Rider’s fall 2026 menswear presentation illustrated how small changes can transform classic pieces.
Belts sat slightly higher on wool coats, silk ties featured squared-off ends, gold buttons brought contrast to boxy melton blazers, and double-breasted jackets displayed unconventional creases along their sleeves.
None of these details radically altered the garments. Instead, they introduced just enough irregularity to make familiar silhouettes feel fresh.
The result is a relaxed form of luxury that avoids looking overly polished or rigid. Rider’s clothes retain the sophistication expected of Celine while allowing room for spontaneity.
His ability to combine restraint with personality has helped distinguish his interpretation of the house from its previous creative eras.
Celine Sees New Opportunities in Menswear
The early response from the market has been encouraging.
Séverine Merle, Celine’s chief executive officer, reported an enthusiastic reception to the brand’s July show and January presentation from both wholesale partners and boutique customers.
She believes Rider’s creative direction is opening new opportunities, particularly in menswear, and helping the brand reach a broader audience.
According to Merle, the womenswear collection can lean towards a more sophisticated, bourgeois sensibility, while menswear introduces a different energy through relaxed, effortless refinement.
The company plans to continue staging dedicated menswear shows while also incorporating selected men’s looks into its womenswear presentations.
Although womenswear remains the larger business, Merle sees significant room for expansion in the men’s category.
She also pointed to increasingly fluid boundaries between men’s and women’s wardrobes. Women now account for a considerable share of Celine menswear purchases, particularly in tailoring, leather, denim and knitwear.
At the same time, Rider’s collections are attracting a broader male clientele interested in their color, optimism and contemporary attitude.
Retailers Praise the Balance Between Wearability and Creativity
Fashion buyers have also responded positively to Rider’s approach.
Bosse Myhr, director of buying at Selfridges, praised the versatility of the collection, noting that it includes casual pieces that integrate easily into existing wardrobes alongside more elaborate tailoring and fashion-forward designs.
Myhr also highlighted Celine’s partnership with Harry’s New York Bar in Paris and its sneaker collaboration with Reebok as successful initiatives that have helped the brand connect with customers.
He believes Rider’s previous experience at a major house such as Ralph Lauren gives Celine a valuable advantage, allowing the business to benefit from knowledge that might otherwise take years to develop.
Joseph Tang, fashion director at Holt Renfrew, similarly praised Rider for combining the ease of American sportswear with the sophistication of a French luxury house.
Tang described the collections as distinctly Celine while remaining relevant to the way people want to dress today.
He sees Rider’s styling as particularly influential because it demonstrates how personal expression and unexpected combinations can make familiar garments feel entirely new.
The impact is already visible beyond the runway. Tang cited the red sweaters from Rider’s debut collection as a street-style signature, while a cummerbund has emerged as another recognisable accessory.
These pieces illustrate Rider’s ability to take traditional wardrobe elements and give them a new attitude without losing their underlying appeal.
Görkem Şahin, general merchandising manager of designer menswear at Beymen Group, also praised Rider’s blend of Parisian style and American ease.
From a retail perspective, he said, the combination creates opportunities to reach a more diverse customer base with distinctive yet wearable products.
The Categories Driving Celine Menswear
According to Şahin, outerwear, denim and leather goods are among Celine menswear’s strongest categories.
The house’s Triomphe logo also remains important, particularly as Rider introduces a fresh interpretation of the signature emblem and reinforces the appeal of these products.
Footwear is another area showing momentum. The Racer sneaker has attracted attention, while loafers, lace-up shoes and boots are gaining traction for the season.
These categories demonstrate how Rider’s vision extends beyond runway styling into commercially important products that customers can incorporate into their everyday wardrobes.
A More Personal Vision of Luxury
Rider’s growing influence at Celine rests on a relatively understated idea: luxury does not always need to be loud to make an impression.
Through carefully adjusted proportions, thoughtful color combinations, unconventional accessories and clothing that feels naturally lived-in, he is creating a wardrobe that balances sophistication with individuality.
His collections preserve the house’s identity while introducing a more relaxed and inviting sensibility. Rather than asking customers to dress like characters in a rigid fashion fantasy, Rider encourages them to use clothing to express who they are.
With growing support from executives and international retailers, Celine menswear appears well positioned to reach a wider audience.
Rider’s challenge now is to sustain that momentum while continuing to develop a creative language that feels unmistakably his own — one built on timeless classics, unexpected details and, above all, a little flair.
