American fashion designer Michael Rider is the current Artistic Director of the French fashion house Celine. He took over the creative direction in early 2025, succeeding Hedi Slimane.
Annie Leibovitz profiled the designer for Vogue at Celine's historic headquarters in Paris.
Michael Rider is considered one of the most influential creative minds in contemporary, understated luxury fashion. At Celine, he is responsible for the entire creative direction, from womenswear and menswear to haute couture and accessories.
His career is closely intertwined with Celine's DNA: Before his appointment as head designer, he had already worked for the house for nearly a decade as Design Director of the ready-to-wear line under Phoebe Philo. After a successful six-year stint as Creative Director at Polo Ralph Lauren in New York, he returned to Paris.
His acclaimed debut collection for Celine (Spring/Summer 2026) marked a conscious return to timeless elegance, flowing silhouettes, and everyday, pragmatic luxury. His design philosophy blends French heritage with relaxed, modern, and timeless tailoring.
Raised in Washington, D.C., Michael Rider initially pursued academia. He graduated in 2002 with a degree in Education and Latin American Studies from the prestigious Brown University. Instead of sketching designs, he soon found himself teaching seven different subjects in California.
But the urge to be creative prevailed: Before moving to Paris, he went to New York City, where he worked as a styling assistant and in design to gain practical experience in the US fashion industry. His talent caught the eye of Nicolas Ghesquière's team (then creative director at Balenciaga). The Parisian fashion house was looking for talent with a fresh, unconventional perspective.
Rider's portfolio impressed Ghesquière so much that Balenciaga took the risk of bringing the American newcomer directly to Paris as a designer in 2004. In France, he thus skipped the traditional internship stage and started immediately within the inner circle of the atelier.
And so, from 2004 to 2008, he learned the craft from the ground up as a senior designer under Nicolas Ghesquière at Balenciaga – working alongside experienced pattern makers who still upheld the legacy of the legendary Cristóbal Balenciaga, before he moved to Celine in 2008.
Annie Leibovitz is represented by the agency LGA MGMT, Paris - London - NYC.