Celine closes Paris Fashion Week with bare-chested models and dazzling blazers

June 27, 2022 - 3:17 PM
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Designer Hedi Slimane appears onstage during his Spring/Summer 2023 Menswear collection show for fashion house Celine during Men's Fashion Week in Paris, France June 26, 2022. (Reuters/Sarah Meyssonnier)

 Celine designer Hedi Slimane sent out a lineup of bare-chested models in sheer, unzipped tops and dazzling blazers Sunday night, marking the return of French label to Paris Fashion Week’s menswear shows – and closing the week of events.

Leggy and long-haired, they marched down a wide runway in sunglasses, hands thrust in front pockets, as spotlights blinked.

From sequin-embellished shirts to low-cut, skin-hugging pants and a shimmery crocodile blazer, Celine’s summer runway presentation was crammed with clothes imbued with an androgynous rock spirit, à la David Bowie.

A long beige coat over a leather jacket paired with an ultra-slim tie and a white shirt added depth to slip-on shoes and raw edged jeans.

Leopard and landscapes of coconut trees patterns appeared on short sleeve shirts while big necklace plastrons acted as clothes.

The sparse concrete halls of the show venue – the Palais de Tokyo, a Fashion Week favorite – contrasted with the dramatic settings Slimane chose as a backdrop for his livestreamed presentations during the pandemic, with swooping drones and Renaissance castles.

The show drew crowds that swarmed the surrounding streets, hoping to catch a glimpse of South Korean star Park Bo-gum, Lisa from K-pop girl group Blackpink and V, whose real name is Kim Tae-hyung, the singer and songwriter of BTS.

—Reporting by Laetitia Volga and Mimosa Spencer