The Triomphe chain was an archive detail before it became the house's primary identifier, and footwear is where it does the most work. It appears on the Clea Triomphe Sandal in Calfskin, the Bay Triomphe Thong Sandal, the Triomphe Slide in Suede Calfskin and the Knots Triomphe Flat Sandal in Goatskin, and in each case it is the only thing happening on an otherwise unbroken upper. Celine sandals in this mould rely on that single piece of metal to carry the whole identification job. That is a confident bet, because a plain leather sandal with one badge has nowhere to hide if the leather is not good. The vegetal tanning called out in two of these names is the tell that it is.

Strip the hardware out and the Cage is what remains, a strappy construction that appears here as both the Cage Flat Sandal in Goatskin and the Cage Heeled Sandal in Goatskin. Offering the identical shape at two heights is a very Celine move, because it treats the silhouette rather than the heel as the product. The Onyx Thong Sandal in Calfskin Vegetal Tanning takes minimalism to its logical end with nothing but a toe post. The Cocktail Sandal in Goatskin is the only piece here with an evening brief and it still refuses to add embellishment. Across all eight, goatskin and calfskin are the only materials in play.

This is a range that rewards knowing what you want before you arrive. The Cage in flat is probably the single most useful thing here, because a strappy flat in good goatskin covers more of a summer than any heel does. The Triomphe pieces will be identified instantly by anyone who follows the house, which is either the appeal or the problem depending on your temperament. The Onyx thong is the quietest and will be the one still worn in five years. The Cocktail sandal is the least necessary unless you have the evenings for it. If you take one thing away, it is that the leather quality is the actual product here and the hardware is just how you prove you bought it.