The City on the Temples: CELINE Sunglasses
What defines the brand and why choose it
CELINE's Triomphe is one of the few identity elements in contemporary fashion whose origin is not a designer but a city. In 1973, Céline Vipiana was leaving the Arc de Triomphe at Place de l'Étoile in Paris when she noticed the ornamental iron chains surrounding the monument: their interlocking formed a C that mirrored another C. That accident of observation became the house's monogram — the two interlocked Cs of the Triomphe — which 48 years later Hedi Slimane retrieved from the archives to make it the most recognisable element of current CELINE eyewear.
The house's story is the workflow's richest in creative transformations. Céline Vipiana (1945–1997) built a house of leather goods and Parisian sportswear with the functional elegance that defined the French woman of the 20th century. Phoebe Philo (2008–2018) did something more difficult: redefined the house's identity from scratch with the most influential architectural minimalism of her generation — the Luggage Tote bag, the Philophiles movement, the first fashion campaign with Joan Didion at 79 as the face. When Philo left, the word Old Céline became a trending topic on social media. Hedi Slimane (2018–2024) made the most radical decision: removing the accent from the name, erasing the brand's social media on arrival, launching menswear for the first time in the house's history, and retrieving the Triomphe as the visual signature. The result was the most photographed sunglass collection of the 2021–2024 seasons. Since January 2025, Michael Rider — design director under Phoebe Philo between 2008 and 2018 — writes the next chapter.
CELINE eyewear is produced with Thélios — the LVMH-Marcolin joint venture, also responsible for Loewe, Louis Vuitton, Dior and Givenchy — and manufactured entirely in Italy.
Styles and uses: Triomphe, 3 Dots and Parisian geometry
CL40194U is the most iconic model: retro oval silhouette inspired by the 1970s of the founder, available in more than ten colourways — glossy black, tortoise, white, pink, havana, purple, cream. The CL40238U is the butterfly of the Triomphe collection: the most expressive and highest-declaration format. Maxi Triomphe CL40235U is the XL oversized oval. Triomphe Metal CL40254U is the metal version: gold metal frame with round lenses and Triomphe logo on the temples — the model from the Baie des Anges collection that became one of the most sought-after in the luxury eyewear market. The 3 Dots are the second signature: three points worked into the hinges as a discreet but absolutely recognisable identity element. The Bold 3 Dots collection — including CL40092I and CL50086I in tortoise acetate — combines generous volumes with the three-dot vocabulary. The Monochrome line (CL40197U) offers the most monochromatic and refined version of the palette. Celebrities: Kendall Jenner, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Angelina Jolie, Hailey Bieber, Kelly Rowland.
Practical details: Barberini, acetate and Italian manufacturing
CELINE sunglasses in the main Triomphe line use premium high-density acetate with artisanal finishing. The highest-quality models incorporate Barberini mineral glass lenses — the highest standard available in the luxury eyewear market in optical clarity, scratch resistance and chromatic fidelity, manufactured exclusively for luxury brands. Metal models use high-quality gold alloy with the Triomphe integrated into the temple structure. All models offer UV 400 protection in solid, gradient and mirror versions.
Old Céline, New CELINE and the cultural debate
The departure of Phoebe Philo from CELINE in 2018 triggered one of the most intense cultural debates in contemporary fashion — perhaps the only one where a hashtag (#OldCéline) became shorthand for an entire philosophy of dressing. The Philophiles — the devoted following Philo had built over a decade — mourned the loss of architectural minimalism, the clean proportions, the absence of overt branding, the sense that a CELINE bag or frame was for someone who knew, not for someone who needed to be seen knowing. When Hedi Slimane arrived and immediately wiped the brand's social media accounts, removed the accent, and launched a rock-inspired menswear line at Paris Fashion Week, the reaction was visceral. Yet the commercial results were undeniable: the Triomphe sunglasses launched in the 2021 SS Monaco show became the most photographed eyewear in the luxury market within two seasons.
The arrival of Michael Rider — design director under Philo for ten years — reopens this question in the most interesting possible way. He is neither a continuation of Slimane nor a return to Philo. He is someone who knows both chapters from inside and brings his own decade at Polo Ralph Lauren as a third layer of reference. For the eyewear collection, this transition is worth watching closely: the Triomphe and 3 Dots signatures are strong enough to anchor any creative direction, while leaving considerable room for a new visual language to emerge.
Buying online at Visual-Click
Visual-Click is an authorised CELINE dealer and stocks the CELINE sunglasses collection with official warranty and international shipping. The team can advise on available models — CL40194U, CL40238U, CL40235U, CL40254U and seasonal references — and on the first proposals under Michael Rider's new creative direction.
Explore the collection
The retro oval of the CL40194U, the butterfly of the CL40238U, the gold metal Triomphe of the CL40254U, the three dots on the hinges — CELINE sunglasses at Visual-Click are the Arc de Triomphe on the temples and the most admired Parisian minimalism of the last two decades. Find your CELINE sunglasses at Visual-Click.
