There were safety warnings straight from Captain Obvious (an email so helpfully explained that standing in Céline’s way was a no-go). A headache-inducing traffic jam. Teary-eyed fans and spirited sing-alongs shouted from the street. All for the debut of the Céline Dion Collection handbag and accessories line. Make no mistake: in Quebec, Céline is queen.
Half an hour behind schedule—Montreal traffic, obvi—Céline’s SUV pulled up through the crowd amassed at Browns Shoes’ downtown store. Clad in a flowy fuchsia gown (and bedecked in an armful of diamonds), she stepped out onto a platform, thanked fans and started singing: "I drove all night … to get to you."
No one-on-one interviews, but she did proclaim to the crowd, “I’m the boss, now!" referring to life post-René. Indeed, despite having lost the love of her life, Céline has found strength, love and happiness through family, meditation and, bien sûr, fashion.
“Big surprise: I love fashion. And I’m a very, very, big supporter of the industry,” she grinned, showing off vertiginous sandals with the flick of a diamond-emblazoned hand. Interestingly, though Céline’s esthetic and personality appear to be larger-than-life, the collection—a collab between herself and the Bugatti Group—is basic as can be, save for a few pom-pom adornments and stud details, with prices ranging from $78 to $1,998.
“A bag is something you live with every day, all day. So it had to look great but it has to function great too,” she explained, before busting out into song (three times). And she charmed everyone in attendance—yours truly included. The Internet is right: with her 50th birthday around the corner (“Fifty is the new 25,” she laughed), Céline Dion is living her best life. —Christine Laroche
Photos by Olivier Samson Arcand / OSA / Feeling
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