Hedi Slimane facts for kids
Hedi Slimane (born July 5, 1968) is a famous French photographer and fashion designer. He is known for his unique style, especially for creating a "skinny" look in menswear. He has worked as the creative director for major fashion houses like Dior Homme, Yves Saint Laurent, and Celine.
Quick facts for kids
Hedi Slimane
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Slimane in 2015
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| Born | July 5, 1968 Paris, France
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| Education | École du Louvre |
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Contents
Early Life and Interests
Hedi Slimane grew up in Paris, France. His father was from Tunisia, and his mother was Italian. His mother was a seamstress, someone who sews clothes, and two of his uncles were tailors.
When he was young, Hedi and his mother often made clothes together. He would draw designs, and his mother would help bring them to life. At age 11, he discovered photography and learned how to develop black and white photos. He later studied Art History at the École du Louvre and also learned tailoring.
Fashion Career
Hedi Slimane did not have formal training in fashion design. However, he quickly made a name for himself in the industry.
Starting at Yves Saint Laurent
From 1992 to 1995, he worked with a fashion consultant named Jean-Jacques Picart. Picart introduced Slimane to Pierre Bergé, who was looking for a menswear designer for Yves Saint Laurent. In 1996, Slimane was hired as the director for men's ready-to-wear collections. He later became the artistic director. He was known for creating designs that focused on good cut, proportion, and silhouette.
Leading Dior Homme
After showing his "Black Tie" collection in 2000, Slimane left Yves Saint Laurent. He then became the creative director for menswear at Christian Dior, known as Dior Homme. In 2001, he launched Dior Homme's first fragrance, "Higher." He designed the bottle and worked on the advertisements.
In 2002, Hedi Slimane became the first menswear designer to win the CFDA award for International Designer. Famous musician David Bowie presented him with the award. Slimane designed clothes for Bowie's tours. He also dressed other celebrities like Madonna and Nicole Kidman. He created stage outfits for music groups such as the Libertines and Daft Punk.
Slimane also commissioned original music for his runway shows at Dior Homme. Artists like Beck and bands like Phoenix created special soundtracks for his collections.
Return to Yves Saint Laurent
In July 2007, Slimane decided not to renew his contract with Dior Homme. He focused on his photography for a few years. In March 2012, he returned to Yves Saint Laurent as creative director. He chose to base his creative studio in Los Angeles, California, instead of Paris. In April 2016, he was succeeded by Anthony Vaccarello.
Creative Director at Celine
In January 2018, Hedi Slimane became the creative director at Celine. He made a big change by dropping the French accent from the brand's name, making it simply "Celine." In January 2019, he presented his first stand-alone menswear show for Celine.
During 2020 and later years, Slimane started presenting his collections through short films. These films were shot in famous locations like the Château de Chambord in France and the Mojave Desert in the USA. In October 2024, he left Celine.
Perfumery
Hedi Slimane has also made a mark in the world of perfumes.
Dior Fragrances
In 2004, while at Dior Homme, he created a special collection of colognes. This collection included "Cologne Blanche," "Eau Noire," and "Bois d'Argent." He designed the bottles and changed the Dior logo to all uppercase letters.
In 2005, he worked with Olivier Polge to create a new fragrance called "Dior Homme." He designed the bottle and the advertising for this scent too. He also created a line of skincare products for men in 2006.
Celine Perfumes
In 2019, as artistic director of Celine, Slimane launched a new collection called Celine Haute Parfumerie. This collection featured 11 fragrances, with two more, "Rimbaud" and "Bois Dormant," announced later. He also opened special boutiques just for these perfumes. Celine had not released any perfumes between 1964 and 2019.
Slimane designed the bottles and named each perfume based on his own ideas. The collection was designed for both men and women. In 2021, he also launched a line of scented candles. In April 2024, he created "Zouzou," the twelfth fragrance in his Celine Haute Parfumerie collection.
Watchmaking
In 2004, while at Dior, Hedi Slimane created the "Chiffre Rouge" watch. This was the brand's first automatic watch, meaning it winds itself with movement. It was available in 21 different styles.
The watch has a unique shape and features red elements. In 2024, for its twentieth anniversary, new versions of the watch were released for both women and men.
Cosmetics
In March 2024, Celine announced a new cosmetics line called "Celine Beauty," also under Slimane's direction. The first product, a lipstick called "Rouge Triomphe," was released in autumn 2024. It is the first shade in a collection of fifteen lipsticks planned for January 2025.
Art and Photography
After leaving Yves Saint Laurent the first time, Slimane moved to Berlin. He took many black and white photographs there, which were published in his first book, Berlin, in 2002. His second book, Stage, published in 2004, focused on the rock music scene. In 2004, he also designed the album cover for the band Phoenix's album Alphabetical.
In 2005, his book London Birth of a Cult explored the life of musician Pete Doherty. Slimane also started a photographic blog called Hedi Slimane Diary in May 2006, where he shared his photos. He also took pictures for magazines like French Vogue.
When he moved to Los Angeles in 2007, California became a major subject for his photography. He shot the cover artwork for Lady Gaga's album, The Fame Monster, released in 2009.
In 2011, he organized an art show called "Myths and Legends of Los Angeles" in Paris and Brussels. His own photography was shown at the MOCA in 2011. This exhibition, called "California Song," featured many images from his time in California.
Exhibitions
Hedi Slimane's photography has been shown in many art exhibitions around the world:
- 2004 – Berlin at Kunstwerke, Berlin
- 2004 – Berlin at MOMA/PS1, New York
- 2004 – Berlin at Koyanagi Gallery, Tokyo
- 2004 – Stage at Almine Rech Gallery, Paris
- 2005 – Robert Mapplethorpe curated by Hedi Slimane, at Thaddeus Ropac Gallery, Paris
- 2005 – Thank You For The Music group show, Spruth Magers Gallery, Munich
- 2006 – As Tears Go By at Almine Rech Gallery, Paris
- 2006 – I Love My Scene group show curated by Jose Freire, Mary Boone Gallery, New York
- 2006 – Portrait of A Performer at Galerie Gmurzynska, Zurich
- 2007 – Costa Da Caparica at Ellipse Foundation, Lisbon
- 2007 – Sweet Bird of Youth group show curated by Hedi Slimane at Arndt and Partner, Berlin
- 2007 – Young American at Foam Museum, Amsterdam
- 2007 – Perfect Stranger at Almine Rech Gallery, Paris
- 2008 – MUSAC Museum for Contemporary Art, Leon, Spain
- 2011 – Fragments Americana at Almine Rech Gallery, Brussels
- 2011 – California Dreamin, Myths and Legends of Los Angeles group show curated by Hedi Slimane, Almine Rech Gallery, Paris
- 2011 – California Song at MOCA, Los Angeles
- 2014 – SONIC at The Fondation Pierre Bergé – Yves Saint Laurent, Paris
See also
In Spanish: Hedi Slimane para niños
