{"id":53,"date":"2026-10-27T21:04:38","date_gmt":"2026-10-27T18:04:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wom.beauty\/?p=53"},"modified":"2026-10-27T21:04:38","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T18:04:38","slug":"michael-rider-is-wwds-2026-menswear-designer-of-the-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wom.beauty\/?p=53","title":{"rendered":"Michael Rider Is WWD’s 2026 Menswear Designer of the Year"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\n\tWatching Celine\u2019s recent fashion shows, you can feel how much artistic director Michael Rider enjoys playing with clothes, toying with proportions, scale, color and what he simply calls \u201cflair\u201d: the unexpected effect of a fringed headband; a shoelace-thin belt for a coat, or \u2014 what the hell? \u2014 a length of glossy fabric wound around the neck and head, or clutched in one hand.<\/p>\n

\n\tWhat\u2019s up with those rectangles of satin?<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWe talked a lot about handkerchiefs and pocket squares and those clich\u00e9d codes of menswear but that don\u2019t feel fresh,\u201d Rider replied. \u201cAt end of the day, I\u2019m not going out with a pocket square, but I like flair. I like to find a new way to have some flair.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tHis spring 2027 menswear show was an exhilarating display of flair, and multiple style possibilities, as was his fall 2026 men\u2019s presentation, earning him the 2026 WWD Honor for Menswear Designer of the Year.<\/p>\n

\n\tIt\u2019s quite the feat, given that he joined the house less than two years ago from Polo Ralph Lauren\u2019s women\u2019s department, and has only staged one dedicated runway show for men so far.<\/p>\n

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\t\t\t\t\t\t\"mens<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>

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\t\t\t\t\tLooks from Celine\u2019s spring 2027 men\u2019s collection.<\/span><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAdam Katz Sinding<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

\n\tIt\u2019s also worth mentioning that Rider succeeded one of the most successful and influential designers of the last 30 years, Hedi Slimane, who introduced menswear at Celine when he joined the house in 2018.<\/p>\n

\n\tFounded in 1945 by C\u00e9line Vipiana and based initially on shoes, Celine has been part of the LVMH Mo\u00ebt Hennessy Louis Vuitton stable since 1996, and was initially revved up by another American designer, Michael Kors, who stayed until 2004.<\/p>\n

\n\tRider is no stranger to Celine, having logged a decade as its design director of ready-to-wear from 2008 to 2018, working under its then-creative director Phoebe Philo.<\/p>\n

\n\tHe\u2019s not one to explain his design process much, though he has offered some trenchant descriptors. \u201cClassics with bite,\u201d he said in a short statement released after his terrific fall 2026 menswear presentation.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cCharacter over costume\u201d is another.<\/p>\n

\n\tMostly he talks about instinct, describing his process with the Celine design team as akin to a musical \u201cjam session.\u201d They like to try things on to see what gets their fashion juices flowing.<\/p>\n

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\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Celine<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>

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\t\t\t\t\tCeline men\u2019s fall 2026 ready-to-wear collection.<\/span><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCourtesy of Celine<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

\n\t\u201cI think we\u2019re the filter of what feels like Celine,\u201d he explained. \u201cWe\u2019re the customer, and we have a collective sense of what the values of the house are.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWe make the things we want and we make the characters we want to be,\u201d he continued. \u201cWe try it all on. We have to want it. We build on it with each other\u2026 Within Celine, there are multitudes, and that is exciting to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tRider seems to be agnostic about what\u2019s dressy or casual; austere or bohemian; sporty or formal; preppy or punk; town or country.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cGreat clothes are great clothes,\u201d he shrugged.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe designer also has a knack for giving his pristine clothes an heirloom quality, as much as they are rooted in the here and now.<\/p>\n

\n\tRider tends to wear casual clothes with a lived-in look, matching his unruly mop of curly hair.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThere\u2019s something strange to me about a brand-new shoe,\u201d he said during the backstage scrum after the spring 2027 men\u2019s show, asked about the weathered, intentionally scuffed sneakers he used to finish off some looks.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe designer is also partial to rings, and can usually be seen sporting a beaded necklace with a personal backstory.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThis was made by a very good friend of mine, who used to be a club kid,\u201d he related. \u201cWalt Paper was his club kid name. Now he makes very beautiful jewelry, and he gave me this. I\u2019d be really scared if I woke up today and couldn\u2019t find it.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI\u2019m not gonna lie, I\u2019ve never met a bead I didn\u2019t like, and I always find it really stylish and sexy when you pass by someone\u2019s neck and you just see a thin little piece of color,\u201d he confessed.<\/p>\n

\n\tIndeed, he has widened Celine\u2019s register with a broader palette, exemplified by the stacks of sweaters, right up to the ceiling, at the showroom presentation of his fall 2026 menswear collection.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cI love color and I\u2019m really sensitive to color and color is one of the first things that we do,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s really one of the building blocks.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Celine<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>

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\t\t\t\t\tCeline men\u2019s spring 2027<\/span><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCourtesy of Celine<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

\n\tA graduate of Brown University in Rhode Island, Rider also worked as a senior designer at Balenciaga from 2004 to 2008 earlier in his career.<\/p>\n

\n\tHis appointment in early 2025 thrust another prominent studio talent into a plum, high-profile role.<\/p>\n

\n\tIn a very short time, Rider tweaked Celine\u2019s mostly classic men\u2019s wardrobe with little jolts of fashion, helpings of preppy, winks to the past and a very distinctive patina and hand \u2014 nothing too bright, stiff or high-contrast.<\/p>\n

\n\tAt his fall 2026 presentation, where outfits were mostly hung on pegs, you noticed the slightly raised waists on belted wool coats; the square bottoms of silk neckties; the shiny gold buttons on a boxy melton blazer, and the offbeat creases on the sleeves of double-breasted jackets. Everything oozed nonchalant chic.<\/p>\n

\n\tS\u00e9verine Merle, Celine\u2019s chief executive officer, cited a \u201cvery enthusiastic\u201d response to the July show and the January presentation, from both its wholesale partners and boutique clients.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cMichael\u2019s vision has opened up new opportunities, particularly in menswear, allowing us to reach a broader audience,\u201d she said in an interview. \u201cThere is a new creative sensibility. The womenswear can feel more sophisticated, more bourgeois, while the menswear brings a different energy, a relaxed, effortless sophistication.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Michael<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>

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\t\t\t\t\tMichael Rider<\/span><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAlvaro Tapia Hidalgo\/WWD<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

\n\tShe said the brand plans to continue with dedicated menswear shows, while also including a few men\u2019s looks in its womenswear shows. <\/p>\n

\n\tThe executive spies \u201csignificant\u201d potential for Celine menswear, even if its womenswear business is predominant.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWhat is particularly interesting is how naturally the boundaries between men\u2019s and women\u2019s wardrobes are becoming more fluid. Today, a lot of our menswear purchases are made by women, particularly in categories such as tailoring, leather, denim and knitwear,\u201d Merle said. \u201cAt the same time, Michael\u2019s creative vision is attracting a broader male clientele, drawn to the energy, color and optimism of his collections.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tSo far, retailers are very impressed.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThe versatility of what he has built so far has all the hallmarks of great menswear,\u201d said Bosse Myhr, director of buying at Selfridges. \u201cThere are casual looks and pieces that work easily with an existing wardrobe, alongside more elaborate tailoring and fashion pieces.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tMyhr lauded Celine\u2019s recent partnership with Harry\u2019s New York Bar in Paris, and its collaboration with Reebok on sneakers, both being big hits.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cIn menswear, being relevant in the here and now is essential, and Celine is achieving that effortlessly,\u201d he said, also flagging that Rider\u2019s experience at a big successful house like Ralph Lauren ranks as a bonus. \u201cIt\u2019s rare for a creative director at a major house to have this kind of CV, and it lets the brand fast-track a lot of learning that might otherwise have taken years.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tJoseph Tang, fashion director at Holt Renfrew, said Rider has \u201ctapped into an aesthetic that feels both distinctly Celine and relevant to how people want to dress today, bridging the ease of American sportswear with the sophistication of a French fashion house.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAsked about Rider\u2019s secret sauce, Tang lauded his \u201cmasterclass in styling, showing how personal style, unexpected combinations and a little irreverence can make familiar pieces feel entirely new. He\u2019s showing people how to express their own style through the brand.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe designer\u2019s knack is \u201chis ability to make familiar pieces feel entirely new. His use of color, print and slightly off-kilter styling brings a sense of personality and playfulness to the wardrobe,\u201d according to Tang. \u201cThe impact is already visible beyond the runway: The red sweaters from his debut became a street-style signature, while his cummerbund has emerged as a defining accessory. He understands how to take something familiar and give it a new attitude.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tG\u00f6rkem \u015eahin, general merchandising manager of designer men\u2019s at Beymen Group, lauded Rider\u2019s way of \u201cblending Parisian style with American ease. His approach feels more relaxed and inviting while preserving the brand\u2019s strong identity.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cFrom a retail perspective, this creates an opportunity to attract a more diverse audience with distinctive, wearable pieces,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u015eahin said outerwear, denim and leather goods are the strongest categories in Celine men\u2019s, and the \u201cTriomphe logo, which Michael Rider has reinterpreted with a fresh approach, also plays an important role in reinforcing the value of these pieces.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tHe also cited \u201cstrong momentum in footwear, particularly with the Racer (sneaker) model, while loafers, lace-ups and boots are gaining traction this season.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Celine<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>

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\t\t\t\t\tA footwear display at Celine\u2019s fall 2026 men\u2019s presentation.<\/span><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCourtesy of Celine<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n


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Watching Celine\u2019s recent fashion shows, you can feel how much artistic director Michael Rider enjoys playing with clothes, toying with proportions, scale, color and what he simply calls \u201cflair\u201d: the unexpected effect…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":54,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-53","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wom.beauty\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wom.beauty\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wom.beauty\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wom.beauty\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wom.beauty\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=53"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wom.beauty\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wom.beauty\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/54"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wom.beauty\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=53"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wom.beauty\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=53"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wom.beauty\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=53"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}