Celine’s Summer 2026 collection, designed by Michael Rider and unveiled at Paris Fashion Week, felt more like a continuation than a rupture.
Presented in a tree-lined park just outside Paris, the show unfolded under a golden glow, exuding a sense of calm assurance that mirrors Rider’s vision: a relaxed kind of luxury shaped by sunshine and unhurried time. “As if the July show had never really ended,” the designer explained—an idea that set the tone for a collection rooted in continuity rather than spectacle.
Rider describes the collection as a meditation on “beautiful moments, lightness, and the warmth of summer,” a constant dialogue between discretion and sensuality. This refined tension runs throughout the offering: the house’s heritage woven seamlessly with a contemporary sensibility, American preppy codes meeting Parisian sophistication. His aim is crystal clear—to create clothes destined to “become part of the memories we live while wearing them.”
The color palette channels nostalgia and sunlight. Classic tones—black, navy, camel, and ivory—form the foundation, while flashes of vivid red, royal blue, grass green, and golden yellow inject the energy of long summer days. Shades of sand, pale sky, and burnished gold add warmth and serenity, with accessories echoing the looks chromatically, never overpowering them.
Materials speak to an idea of lightness and movement: silk scarves, cotton voile, washed denim, linen blends, and liquid silks that drift with the breeze. In contrast, tailored wools and structured leathers restore a sense of rigor and precision. Metallic details on bags and equestrian textures bring tactile depth, while playful accents—like a sequined turtleneck dress or floral jacquard mini dresses—offer moments of surprise and sparkle.
The mini takes center stage: flared or straight dresses, coordinated miniskirts, and silhouettes that celebrate a confident, effortless femininity. Tailored blazers with subtly broadened shoulders and slim trousers strike a balance between structure and nonchalance. Scarves are twisted into tops or skirts, reinforcing the collection’s leitmotif of transformation and fluidity. The co-ed runway, presenting men’s and women’s looks together, underscores a boundary-free, gender-fluid vision.
The scarf emerges as the collection’s ultimate symbol—not merely an accessory, but a structural element shaping dresses, skirts, and trench coats. Rider’s formula—preppy meets Paris—translates into varsity polos, rugby shirts, and sporty chinos layered with silk for a fresh, relaxed elegance. The return of tailoring marks another key moment: impeccable jackets and suits designed for everyday wear. And, of course, the return of the mini—not as provocation, but as a celebration of freedom.
Accessories complete the narrative. The Soft Triomphe bag makes its debut, a new interpretation of Celine’s iconic metal clasp rendered in ultra-supple leather. On the feet, equestrian sandals and sleek Derbies, while oversized sunglasses frame a look of understated, modern elegance.
What truly sets this collection apart is its emphasis on longevity over novelty. Rider’s message is clear: fashion should live beyond the runway, anchoring itself in personal memory. These are pieces to be worn and remembered—travel-ready blazers, dresses that evoke distant summers, accessories that only improve with time.
With Summer 2026, Michael Rider confirms a confident and coherent direction. Immune to the urgency of trends, he chooses instead to evolve Celine’s language with discretion and sensitivity. By reinterpreting the house’s codes through a contemporary lens, Rider offers more than a wardrobe—he offers a feeling: effortless, luminous, and enduring elegance.
