Honestly, if you saw a global superstar crawling through a ventilation shaft to break into a hospital maternity ward, you’d probably assume it was the plot of a weird summer blockbuster. But in late 2018, that was just a Tuesday for Celine Dion.
The celine dion clothing commercial for her brand, Celinununu, didn't just push the envelope; it basically shredded it. People were confused. Some were angry. A few were even convinced she was part of an occult conspiracy. Looking back at it now, the ad remains one of the most bizarre and misunderstood pieces of celebrity marketing in recent memory.
What Actually Happened in the Celinununu Ad?
The commercial starts like a high-stakes heist movie. Celine, dressed in a sleek black suit, is being pursued by security guards. She makes her way into a hospital nursery where babies are strictly segregated—pink blankets for girls, blue for boys.
It’s a classic visual representation of the gender binary.
Celine looks at the camera with that signature dramatic flair and proceeds to blow a handful of "magic" black glitter over the infants. Suddenly, the pink and blue outfits vanish. In their place? Monochrome, gender-neutral onesies covered in stars, alphabet prints, and the brand’s "plus" logo.
Naturally, she gets tackled by security and hauled off in handcuffs. Her parting line? "It’s okay, it’s okay, I’m Céline Dion!"
It was meant to be funny. It was meant to be a commentary on how we "label" kids before they can even speak. But the internet, being the internet, took it in a thousand different directions.
The "Satanic" Backlash and Weird Theories
You can't talk about the celine dion clothing commercial without mentioning the wild backlash from certain religious circles. Shortly after the ad dropped, an exorcist named John Esseff told the National Catholic Register that the line was "definitely satanic."
Wait, what?
The logic was that by removing gender distinctions, the brand was somehow "demonic." People started dissecting the clothes like they were looking for hidden clues in a Dan Brown novel.
- The Skulls: Some shirts featured skulls, which NUNUNU (the brand Celine partnered with) had used for years to represent "inner essence." Critics saw them as death symbols.
- The 3 and 6: One pair of leggings had a '3' on one knee and a '6' on the other. If you squinted and ignored the other numbers in the collection, some claimed it was a nod to "666."
- The New Order: Some items had the phrase "New Order" printed on them. While clearly a reference to the 80s band or just a "new way of thinking," conspiracy theorists linked it to the "New World Order."
In reality, Celine was working with Iris Adler and Tali Milchberg, the founders of NUNUNU. They had been making edgy, minimalist kids' clothes in Israel since 2009. Their whole vibe was "cool, not cute." They hated bows and ruffles. Celine, who has three sons, had been buying their clothes for years and just wanted to bring that aesthetic to a wider audience.
📖 Related: Why Gang Starr Moment of Truth Lyrics Still Hit Different in 2026
Why the Commercial Still Matters Today
Most celebrity fashion lines are boring. They’re usually just a logo slapped on a generic hoodie. But the celine dion clothing commercial was a statement. It was one of the first times a major A-list star used their platform to talk about gender-neutral parenting in such a mainstream (and weirdly aggressive) way.
The Shift in Kids' Fashion
Before Celinununu, the "gender-neutral" section of most stores was just a depressing rack of beige and light green. Celine and NUNUNU proved that you could make clothes for kids that were:
- High-Fashion: Leather jackets and structured coats.
- Monochromatic: Heavily focused on black, white, and grey.
- Symbolic: Using stars, plus signs, and typography instead of trucks or butterflies.
The price point was high—we’re talking $70 for a baby blanket and $290 for a leather jacket. This led to some fair criticism that the line was only for "elite" kids, but it paved the way for more affordable brands like Target and H&M to expand their own unisex offerings.
Common Misconceptions About the Brand
Many people thought Celine Dion was "starting her own cult." She wasn't. She was just being a diva in the best way possible. She’s always had a sense of humor about her own image, and the ad was a self-aware nod to her "larger than life" persona.
Another big mistake people make is thinking the brand was trying to "delete" gender. If you actually read the mission statement, it was about choice. Celine argued that we shouldn't force kids into boxes. If a boy wants to wear pink, cool. If a girl wants to wear a black skull shirt, also cool.
It wasn't about taking away identity; it was about not assigning one before the kid had a chance to breathe.
What Happened to Celinununu?
While the initial hype was massive, the brand eventually folded back into the main NUNUNU label. If you look for the specific "Celinununu" website today, it mostly redirects or is inactive. However, the influence of that celine dion clothing commercial remains.
📖 Related: Tim McGraw All I Want: The 1995 Album That Proved He Wasn't a One-Hit Wonder
You see it in how modern parents shop. There is a much higher demand for "slow fashion" and clothes that can be handed down from a brother to a sister without looking "wrong." Celine may have been a few years ahead of the curve, which is often why things feel so shocking when they first arrive.
Key Insights for Fans and Fashion Historians
If you're still fascinated by this era of Celine's career, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- Research the Source: If you want that specific look, check out the original NUNUNU brand. They still sell the exact styles seen in the commercial.
- Context is Everything: The ad was released during Celine's "fashion icon" era in Paris, where she was wearing Vetements and high-fashion couture. The commercial was an extension of her personal style evolution.
- Ignore the Noise: Most of the "satanic" claims have been debunked as simple moral panic. The symbols used were standard minimalist fashion tropes, not occult signals.
If you’re looking to incorporate more gender-neutral pieces into a kid's wardrobe, start with high-quality basics in a limited color palette. Look for brands that prioritize durability and comfort over "gendered" motifs. You don't have to break into a hospital to change the way we think about kids' clothes—you just have to shop a little differently.