Hedi Slimane Quits As Celine's Artistic Director

Hedi Slimane has quit as artistic director at Celine, the French haute couture house said Wednesday, amid speculation the 56-year-old may fill Karl Lagerfeld's empty chair at Chanel.

Slimane and Simon Porte Jacquemus -- the young French designer who made tiny handbags and tiny everything else a thing -- are being talked about for the Chanel job after Virginie Viard bowed out in June.

Celine lauded the company's "exceptional growth" since Slimane's 2018 appointment and has yet to announce his successor.

"Under his creative and artistic direction, Celine has experienced exceptional growth and established itself as an iconic French couture house," the house said in a statement.

"The extraordinary journey taken together over the last seven years has made Celine a house with a formidable foundation for the future."

Slimane's holistic vision, exigence and rigour had, the statement went on, reaffirmed Celine's "feminine and Parisian roots".

With his signature slim trousers and narrow black jacket Slimane is considered one of the most influential designers in men's fashion.

The son of a Tunisian accountant and an Italian seamstress, born in Paris and educated at the Ecole du Louvre, he was the first designer of men's collections to receive the sought-after International Designer accolade from the Council of Fashion Designers of America in 2002.

The prize, dubbed the "Oscars of fashion", was presented by singer David Bowie, whom Slimane regularly dressed for his tours.

Prior to his arrival, Slimane was artistic director of menswear at Yves Saint Laurent until 2000, when he moved to Dior Homme until 2007.

In 2012 he returned to Saint Laurent as creative director but left in 2016.

Between then and his arrival at Celine, Slimane had devoted himself to photography, his other passion.

Alongside Tom Ford, John Galliano and Carine Roitfeld, Slimane's name has been mentioned as a figure to fill Viard's shoes.