Lady Gaga Reveals Hedi Slimane’s Debut Céline Bag

I believe that many individuals who have an opinion on Céline, Saint Laurent, Hedi Slimane, or Phoebe Philo have been somewhat curious about what Hedi Slimane would do with Céline’s highly successful handbag line as the brand’s creative director. Thanks to Lady Gaga and the paparazzi, we now have our first glimpse of the answer to that question. Lady Gaga casually showcased Slimane’s Céline handbag during her visit to the Louvre and dinner in Paris, attracting the attention of the paparazzi.

French fashion writer Pierre A. M’Pelé was the first to identify the bag on Instagram, and Business of Fashion confirmed the bag’s origins through Gaga’s stylist, Tom Erebout. As noted by BoF, Gaga has been a long-time friend and supporter of Slimane, often debuting pieces from his collections before anyone else.

It is a common tactic of Slimane’s to have a key piece revealed by a celebrity instead of on a runway or through an official brand source. He employed the same strategy with Gwyneth Paltrow and his first-ever Saint Laurent bag in 2012, allowing her to carry the Classic Duffel through an airport instead of a formal debut. This tactic undeniably generates chatter, intrigue, and anticipation for the full public reveal of the collection, which seems to be the intended goal.

As for the bag itself, it does not have a publicly known name yet. However, the top handle design exudes a more refined and elegant aesthetic compared to the accessories overseen by Slimane at Saint Laurent. It features minimal details and luxurious finishing. Personally, when I first saw it, I initially assumed it was a yet-to-be-released Valentino bag, as it diverges significantly from the visual accessories language established by Phoebe Philo during her tenure at Céline. It appears that Slimane has chosen to take the brand in a very different direction.

[Image descriptions: The first image showcases Lady Gaga carrying the Céline handbag while visiting the Louvre and having dinner in Paris. The second and third images display the bag from different angles.]