Where Hedi Slimane goes, the buzz is sure to follow.

The love-him-or-hate-him designer, credited with starting the global skinny menswear style via Dior Homme and later revamping Saint Laurent, returned at long last to the Paris Fashion Week calendar to unveil his debut at Celine Friday.

The reception was muted among critics who viewed it as deja vu from Slimane’s Saint Laurent days.

Earlier in the day, Balmain’s ode to Parisian couture impressed insiders at almost as much as the show’s infectious soundtrack, which had model Cara Delevingne lip-synching.

Here are some highlights from the Spring 2019 shows:

BUZZ, BUZZ, BUZZ AS CELINE BECOMES SLIMANE

Lady Gaga exited her limo to a flurry of paparazzi snaps.

One editor was nearly run over.

Catherine Deneuve pouted on the front row inside, as revelers drank from champagne labelled, of course, Céline.

This was, by every indication, the biggest show of the calendar.

In the giant makeshift Japanese-style building constructed for the 15-minute show at Les Invalides, an in-house staff member then whispered magic words into an earpiece: “The (LVMH-owning) Arnault family is seated and Karl (Lagerfeld) as well.”

And that was that — the collection began.

Soldiers in regal garb began drumming dramatically as a giant crystal opened to reveal the first look of 96.

Some editors raised their eye-brows — others simply smiled — as a polka dot 80s balloon micro dress filed by.

This was beginning to look like a case of fashion deja vu.

Slimane, in his debut show for storied Maison Céline that was founded in 1945, has done, well, almost exactly what he did at Saint Laurent in his successful creative tenure there from 2012-2016.

The sparkling 80s disco micro dresses. The waif-like models who stomped like angry teenagers. The grungy hair. The leopard or striped fur coats. The sparkle.

But whatever the inspiration was, there was plenty of style to be had.

Frothy shoulderless tops followed hot truncated black leather jackets.

Giant round or geometric arms then appeared, cutting a fine shape in some sort of visual reference to the styles of Celine’s predecessor Phoebe Philo.

If this was meant as an homage, it was short lived.

These ensembles were accessorized with black veiled hats, bringing their style firmly back to the New Romantics-era that Slimane favored at Saint Laurent.

In an audacious admission of pastiche of himself and of fashion in general — square handbags shaped like vintage Chanel sported near interlocking CC’s.

Chanel’s designer Lagerfeld, 85, looked on poker faced, next to Lady Gaga.

In a first for Celine, Slimane used his love for androgyny to introduce men’s style to the runway.

It resulted in some must-have leather shoes — thought the skinny ties on several suit looks were a little unoriginal. They weren’t the only thing.
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By THOMAS ADAMSON, AP Fashion Writer

PARIS (AP)