Michael Rider’s autumn–winter 2026 line-up at Celine is ultimately the season-defining collection. Rider – who has a long history with the brand, having worked there during Phoebe Philo’s tenure – knows exactly what draws people to it: not wardrobe solutions, but choices through which one can express oneself in an easy, consciously “not trendy” way.

His latest collection radiates a warmth that only clothes meant to live a life in can emanate – so effortlessly, so honestly. Everything clicks, from the Diane Keaton–esque sporty elegance to the image direction meticulously shaped by Rider’s team. What I appreciate most about the collection is that it conveys precisely the same great feeling as the joint work of Philo and Rider more than a decade ago: the comfort of a postcard-printed blanket carried like a stole; the perfectly weighted crêpe used for a poncho-like cloak (remember Céline Spring–Summer 2013? The echoes of those eternally chic black dresses are right here); animal-printed coats that are just a bit too big, as if lifted straight from your grandmother’s wardrobe; dresses and suits with subtly tweaked proportions, making the case that chic often lies in the slightly odd detail that transforms an otherwise perfectly fine garment.

And then there are the accessories: bow-wrapped scarves that made the men’s silhouette slender and delightfully flamboyant, and angel-like feathers tucked into the hair that simply felt right in the moment. But what strikes me most about the new Celine is how well defined it is – somewhat outside the current aesthetic cycle – and, above all, the way it inspires you to dress differently, and to do so with affection.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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