At the beginning of the century, after declining a job at minimalist German brand Jil Sander, designer Hedi Slimane left his position at Yves Saint Laurent to join Dior as the creative director of menswear.
Gone were the louche suits first pioneered by Giorgio Armani in the ’80s, with Slimane’s silhouette as skinny as a singular Vogue ciggie. His vibe—think: 20-something rockstar who wears sunglasses indoors—continued into his reign at Saint Laurent (dropping of the ‘Yves’ was his decision) as well as at Celine (same with the accent, too). He left that role in 2024.
Now, without a brand to funnel his ideas into, his leather-clad ensembles are no longer on the catwalk. But I’m happy to announce that his trademark look will be striding onto a pavement near you soon. Introducing the latest style tribe to emerge from the grittier depths of the TikTok algorithm: the Hedi Boy.
In a video that currently has over 200k views, Emma Winder, the presenter behind the popular I AM SAINT LAURENT account, asks Hedi Boys about their current “UK invasion.”
“I think it could be really bad for reproductive stats in the coming years, because of the skinny jeans,” says one lanky man, sporting a leather jacket, studded belt, cowboy boots and skinny jeans—obviously.
These sartorial items seem to be a staple of the Hedi Boy collective. Dressed like models in a 2015 Saint Laurent campaign—likely with clothes on from that era—their frontman-esque nonchalance is palpable.
“There are a few key attributes that make a ‘Hedi Boy’ a ‘Hedi Boy’,” says a self-proclaimed HB, Charlie. “Black coffee for breakfast. [Has been] rejected from Celine castings because they’re way shorter in real life. A CSM [Central Saint Martins student] that studies menswear, maybe makes leather jackets.”
Off social media, they’re the men you’d fear your daughter would date. They’ll happily cut in front of you at the pub, and sweeten the experience by spilling a bit of IPA on your shoulder. They’re not afraid to be disliked, and on first impression, you might! But rather annoyingly, you’ll still think they’re kind of cool.
Now that they’re identifiable via TikTok, expect to see more of them out and about. There will be the performative ones, who dress the part but will be stumped when asked if their look is referencing the Dior Homme spring/summer ’06 show. Others will fit this lifestyle so intrinsically that you question if they’re old enough to have done it when that collection first dropped. And while I can tell you what to wear to be a Hedi Boy—anything skin-tight, dark-neutral and rock-influenced—being an authentic one comes down to who you are.
Celine autumn/winter ’19
Celine spring/summer ’20
Ask yourself: could I be quizzed about Slimane’s career at any moment and answer confidently? Do I really care about the indie rock days of yore? Can my body hack a higher caffeine intake? If the answer is yes, then here’s what to do.
Obviously, you have to start by investing in Hedi pieces, so look to eBay and Vestiaire Collective for vintage designs. If you can’t find clothes that way, Acne Studios, Our Legacy, Rhude are great for casualwear, while Tom Ford is your best bet for suits.
For accessories, a pair of black Wayfairers are a must. Boots should have a pointed toe and slight heel, while lace-ups should be Converse Chuck Taylors or Creepers—YMC made a pair last year—proving that they’re on their way back, too.
But ultimately, it’s all down to the bravado. The key is to be self-deprecating and self aware; you’ll still have a group of friends around you if you can take the piss out of yourself.
Maybe Hedi Boy Summer will inspire Slimane to start his own label, as Phoebe Philo—another ex-Celine creative director who had a cult following—did in 2023. You know who’ll come running.
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