Who started it?
Celine Vipiana and her husband, Richard, opened their first boutique - called Celine, Le bottier pour enfants - in Paris in 1945. Located at 52 rue de Malte, the boutique sold luxurious, made-to-measure shoes for children.
By the 50s, the success of this line enabled them to develop technical expertise in leatherworking. In 1963, Celine combined its shoemaking know-how with leatherworking techniques to create its first women's footwear collection - the Inca line of shoes was an instant best-seller - quickly followed by its first collection of luxury handbags.
In 1967, Vipiana added women's ready-to-wear: her goal was to mould Celine into a luxurious lifestyle brand for chic women on the go. That same year marked the opening of a boutique in Saint-Germain-des-Pres - one of the first luxury labels on Paris' Left Bank.
In the 1970s, Celine boutiques opened in Monte Carlo, Geneva, Rome, Lausanne, Toronto and Beverly Hills, among others. The label's deluxe take on everyday fashion, accessories and footwear was embraced by women who wanted to look fashionable without fuss. By the 80s, the brand had about 85 boutiques worldwide, including Hong Kong.
The label's evening wear made its debut in 1980 and two years later the first sportswear line for men and women was launched. A high-end denim line was added in 1985.