Celine Homme presented its Summer 2025 Collection, titled The Bright Young, that brings a fresh interpretation of classic English heritage to modern menswear. Creative director Hedi Slimane draws inspiration from the 1920s, blending traditional tailoring with contemporary style.
The collection stands out for its use of luxurious fabrics, particularly reworked summer cashmeres and wools. These materials are tailored into cricket blazers, boating jackets, and sharply cut suits, delivering a balance of tradition and innovation. The lightweight cashmere flannels evoke a sense of leisurely sophistication, harkening back to the relaxed elegance of F. Scott Fitzgerald and the refined leisurewear of cricket whites.
What sets The Bright Young collection apart is its intricate detailing, particularly in the hand-embroidered elements that link military regalia with the evolution of menswear. The heraldic patches, created using polished silver cannetilles, pay homage to early 20th-century British uniforms, adding a sense of formality and history to the modern silhouettes.
Footwear plays a big role in this collection, completing the ensembles with styles rooted in 1920s English fashion. Richelieu shoes, monks, and tapered derbies embody the spirit of the era, while reflecting Slimane’s ability to bridge the gap between past and present. These shoes ground the collection in its historical influences, adding a sense of continuity to the overall design narrative.
The incorporation of gothic elements adds a bold, unexpected twist to the otherwise pastoral aesthetic. Black barathea wool tailcoats, paired with silk faille gilets, are hand-embroidered with Gothic floral motifs. Sequins, crystals, and pearls in shades of black, gold, and silver bring an opulent, almost rebellious edge to the collection. This fusion of gothic and pastoral styles creates a striking contrast, highlighting Slimane’s ability to merge seemingly disparate influences into a cohesive vision.
Beyond the garments, Slimane’s dedication to historical research and his fascination with English fashion extend into the very setting of the collection. The presentation at Holkham Hall, a historic English estate, serves as the perfect backdrop for The Bright Young. The grandeur of the location echoes the aristocratic influences that run through the collection, while the natural surroundings complement the English garden motifs found in the hand-embroidered waistcoats and floral elements.
The collection also introduces a new fragrance, À Rebours, inspired by the decadent dandy Jean des Esseintes from Joris-Karl Huysmans’ 1884 novel. The fragrance’s blend of oak moss, cedar, and nutmeg serves as an olfactory embodiment of the collection’s themes, deepening the connection between literary and sartorial influences.
