Rumours have surfaced only a few hours ago that Hedi Slimane’s next post may be at the other Parisian fashion house great – Chanel. Mind you, these are only VERY speculative. If it is true, then what might he be doing there? Working on a consultant-basis for womenswear? Working solely on the menswear and perhaps doing to the line what he did at Dior creating…dare I say…Chanel Homme?! More to the point, would Kaiser Karl ever relinquish his dominance at Chanel allowing Hedi to carve his own niche at the house (though Lagerfeld is a self-confessed fan of Slimane’s skinny aesthetic) ? If he has been handed the task of creating a Chanel Homme, what would Slimane do with the Chanel trademarks of quilted bags, camelias and tweed? Would he even touch any of that at all (my guess is no…)?
Ack, all these questions and it still all could be one big flighty fallacy. In the meantime, whilst we wait for the truth to out, how do the guys around here feel about Slimane’s new post at Chanel IF this is indeed true?
love slimane, love chanel… but together??? i’m having mixed feelings
isnt chanel supposed to be one of those “cant touch this” houses, slimane will just make it mainstreem like he did with dior. now days you can see any overwieght middle aged buisness man in dior homme jeans – urgh!
love karl and hedi though
Not too sure about this…I’ve never been a great fan of the ‘new takes’ on the same boucl√© suit season after season and Hedi would hopefully spice it up – it’d be great to see some very pared down, fresh and simple, slimline silhouettes with minimal fringing/feathers etc. – but then again would that destroy the classic Chanel image? :S
I’m not a fan of Karl or Chanel really, but I do appreciate Hedi Slimane’s designs. I almost wish that instead of taking a position at a fashion house, he would start his own label where he can develop without having to sacrifice his personal style to a higher power ie. Karl. And you’re right, I don’t think the Kaiser would ever allow it.
Thumbs down. I like Slimane’s designs. He should be strictly independent (but of course they would probably pay him more than he could make on his own).
Thumbs down. I like Slimane’s designs. He should be strictly independent (but of course they would probably pay him more than he could make on his own).
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I think it would look amazing, and leaded by the master of the pack, i don’t think Hedi would be making the same mistakes as he
did for Dior the last few seasons. If Hedi lands the job creating Chanel Homme than it will be as refreshing and innovating as he
did for Dior Homme in the beginning.
Finally something to look forward to in menswear!
A breath of fresh air is longing!
I feel this has been on the cards for quite a period – you have to slide back a few years to remember any chanel show besides couture not including a few menswear pieces for the discerning and moneyed homosexual (let’s call it as we see it, shall we?) I can’t really remember which campaign it was (maybe this winter?) but there were a few men plucked and preened in the background draped in boucl√©. and I doubt the werthemeiers would look a gift horse like the multi-billion dollar ever-expanding menswear boom in the mouth.
hedi has stated many, many times that he enjoys functioning within the restrictions of a griffe – it gives him something to work with and simultaneously something to rebel against.
I feel hedi has interpreted dior in the vein of its womenswear tradition, and I am equally excited to see his variations on coco’s sense of luxurious louche: namely, exactly how/if this would loosen up his own tourniquet-tight silhouette.
as for the kaiser’s strangle-hold on creativity: lest we forget that herv√© l√©ger designed chanel ready-to-wear (albeit ostensibly) for a couple of seasons under karl, and silvia venturini fendi designs the menswear under her namesake label. I believe that, with likeminded creativity, karl can surrender complete control, although his influence is still very much evident.
hedi has to go somewhere. let’s face it, chanel hommo it probably is. I just wonder if anyone is going to be able to afford it…
love,
Alex.
It might be cool to have some fresh blood at Chanel, though I love him right where he is.
i think hedi would make at the very least a very hot couple seasons designing chanel homme. and there’s always someone who can afford it, thankfully 😉
Chanel Homme. I’m all over this one! I love Hedi, his designs at Dior Homme pretty much shaped menswear in the noughties. His skinny sillhoutte has been the clearest trend for men over the past few years and has been imitated across the board, often to a lesser standard.
Imagine how revolutionary he could be in the driving seat of a men’s range for Chanel? True, it’s always been a label all about the women, but Slimane’s influence could well tip the scales slightly (emphasis on the slightly, I know you ladies love your interlocking C’s too much to let the men get all the Chanel glory!)
i could see him using the camelias…
it would certaintly be interesting…
It came out last year in Hong Kong while Maria Luisa was in town, I asked her what she think about the rumour, she then answered – “The Wertheimer family behind Chanel is very discreet, low-profile, very rich, and they are not my people. I wouldn’t even think they’d take Slimane for Chanel, as Slimane hasn’t even done one dress, ever. As for Chanel Homme, I don’t think they wanna do Chanel Homme.” That’s what she told me last year, but whether it’s gonna be true or not, I know not, I agree w/ Maria Luisa tho….
slimane will just make it mainstreem like he did with dior.
that is So true! like 99% (ok, maybe i’m exaggerating but whatevs) of the swedish male youth population wear dior homme-inspired looks from head to toe. you have to give it to slimane though — he had a very strong aesthetic and it did wonders.
in any case, i’m not really too keen on slimane for chanel homme. slimane is wayy too severe and hardcore. didn’t coco chanel made “comfortable” clothes for women?
i think chanel should just fund hedi his own label, sort of like an isaac mizrahi deal