Celine Dion: angel or demon? When caring creates scandal 👼😈
In 2018, two years after the death of her partner and manager René Angélil, Celine Dion surprised everyone by launching a gender-neutral clothing brand for children. Some wondered whether the diva had lost her way…or whether, on the contrary, she had simply decided to finally be herself.
Celine Dion has always been universally loved: a golden voice, a huge heart, and a smile that spreads across all generations. But when she launched her children’s clothing brand CELINUNUNU, the Canadian star caused a real shockwave: gender-free clothing, neither “for girls” nor “for boys.” An act of love and freedom… that some took as a provocation.
In 2018, Celine Dion presented a collection that was minimalist, gentle, and above all, inclusive, to the world.
Her message was simple: “Let children be whoever they want to be.”
Yet, an American priest, John Esseff, lashed out, accusing her of having “satanist” intentions.
An exaggerated accusation, which mostly shows how strongly some minds still resist the freedom to be oneself.
True to herself, Celine did not respond with anger, but with grace. She simply reminded everyone that her intention had neither been religious nor political, but deeply human: to give everyone room to be themselves, without judgment.
Long before Celine, several other famous icons led the way. The first was Marlene Dietrich in the 1930s, dressed in top hat and tails, who glamorized women in menswear, although she remained essentially and smoulderingly feminine.
In the 1970s, rock star Patti Smith created a deliberately androgynous silhouette in her "Horses" era. Hot on her tail came Grace Jones in the late 1970s and early 80s. And who can forget Annie Lennox, who, in 1983 soared to international fame with cropped hair and a business suit, with " Sweet Dreams Are Made of This." We also need to give a big mention to David Bowie and to Madonna, playing with gender, power dressing, masculinity and femininity. Rules are, there ain't no rules!
All of these icons did their thing, making statements that set the scene over the decades. When it came to Celine Dion, she did not seek to shock, but to question the boundaries of identity and share this rare gift: speaking about love and difference without ever pointing fingers.
This story reminds us that in every era, the artists who dare to challenge convention are first misunderstood before they are celebrated.
The debate around CELINUNUNU is not a religious battle: it is a conversation about tolerance, kindness, and the fear of change.
And if a simple children’s t-shirt can provoke so many emotions, perhaps it is because it touches something much deeper: our relationship with freedom.
Words change, labels fade, but the message remains.
Celine Dion, just like the icons that passed before her, reminds us that being yourself is already an act of courage.
And between angels and demons, the only true force is love.
So, my Women of Destiny, remember this:
the light will always scare those who live in the shadows.
But let’s not forget… the devil always wears Prada. 😈🖤
