After taking the helms at Chloé and Céline, Phoebe Philo launches her eponymous label. Cold masculinity remains, but sex comes into play
Phoebe Philo’s unveils her namesake brand
Not many star designers boast a following as devout as Phoebe Philo’s. The end of her decade-long tenure as creative director at Céline was one of the most heartbreaking moments in fashion history for fans and insiders alike. Many have tried to fill in the hole of her signature minimalist look with other brands, but nothing has come close to the satisfaction of her freshly launched namesake brand.
The highly anticipated unveiling came on the 30th of October, and devotees who had signed up for updates from the brand were the first to know. The website welcomed the viewer with full-screen editorial imagery, with all caps and bright red PHOEBE PHILO script scattered around as if to remind everyone that this is finally it. Embracing a simple web design, the site was separated into two sections: images and shop.
Philo’s contemporary femininity winking at grunge and eroticism
Philo is known to design for and change the shopping habits of the modern woman. Her unassuming pieces bridged function and chicness for a manifestation of contemporary femininity. At a time when quiet luxury is impossible to escape from, Philo’s brand brings a refresher to this style she had famously pioneered. Campaign imagery have an added grunge feel, from the closeups with added visual noise, to the contrast of black outfits with the unbothered white backdrops.
Captivating the female gaze, she casts confident women in her shots, holding unapologetic eye contact. Philo continues her streak of celebrating women, and hints at eroticism with a few skin bearing shots cleverly integrated between the looks. Canadian model Daria Werbowy also makes a comeback in her campaign shots, who Philo has worked with on many occasions.
First years of Phoebe Philo’s career: Chloé
Philo emerged from the prestigious halls of Central Saint Martins in 1996, shortly after which she kickstarted her success story. Entering the French house Chloé alongside her friend Stella McCartney, Philo served as her first design assistant. Philo later succeeded her as Creative Director in 2001 when McCartney left to create her own label. During her time at Chloé, Philo established her design language rooted in femininity and effortlessness.
Under Philo, Chloé was transformed into a commercial powerhouse. She introduced the brand’s first handbag line, reaching its peak with “it” handbags such as the Paddington. The launch was an absolute success, with the pieces selling out and waiting lists overflowing, making the Paddington the most coveted accessory of the time. Philo also orchestrated the opening of Chloé’s new flagship store in London’s iconic Sloane Street, joining forces with architect Sophie Hicks for the concept.
With Philo’s guidance, witnessed a staggering annual sales surge of forty percent in 2004. Her achievements were crowned with the British Designer of the Year award at the British Fashion Awards.
The modern woman in the workforce that Philo designs for also reflects in her personal life. Philo took a maternity leave the following year, delegating the creation of the Fall Winter collection to her team. In doing so, she also became the first designer to take a maternity leave while on the top job. Her family was a main reason motivating her to step down from her position in 2006. Moving back to London, Philo took a two-year hiatus from fashion which she explained as being the honest thing to do to live a true life.
Phoebe Philo at the helm of Céline
Céline was in an era of stagnation, with continuous replacements in leadership following eight successful years under Michael Kors. Revitalization was necessary, and LVMH tapped into Phoebe Philo’s talents to make it happen. Coming out of her hiatus, Philo agreed to take the position under the terms that she could continue working in London while showing in Paris, leading to the opening of a new design studio in a townhouse in central London.
2009 marked Philo’s first collection with the French house, which served as the ultimate introduction to what was to come. The minimal color palette, elegant yet functional shapes, and the unique mix of materials established the designer’s signature style that gained her the loyal following she boasts today. This collection also heralded the launch of three new bag lines, of which the Luggage became one of the most recognizable and sought after styles of the brand.
Philo’s work at Céline cemented her place as a star designer, gaining her devoted followers through her unique design language and the plethora of recognizable styles she is behind. Her Spring/Summer 2013 collection featured furry shoes that are credited to be part of the forerunners of the “ugly shoe” trend. Similarly, she spearheaded the revival of the silk slip dress, taking a huge stride towards the “underwear as outerwear” trend. With such a trend-setting potential, her influence grew constantly, leading her to win the CFDA Fashion Awards in New York in 2011
Phoebe Philo’s expansion at Céline and innovative approaches
Beyond her designs, Philo is also credited for the retail expansion of Céline. Staying distant from e-commerce ventures for some time, Philo focused her attention on the opening of a new flagship store in London in 2014. This was complemented by the inauguration of boutiques in key locations such as Paris, Chengdu, Tokyo, New York, and Las Vegas.
Philo’s approach to marketing did not fall short of her innovative outlook. In 2015, she cast 82-year-old icon Joan Didion in the Spring/Summer campaign, paving the way for many other brands to opt for culturally significant older women in their campaign shots. Overall, her branding and design attitude summed up to a brand that reshaped the way women wanted to dress. Avoiding commenting too much on her collections to let the pieces speak for themselves, Philo’s work exuded an air of effortless utilitarianism mixed with a unique appreciation of femininity.
This was all exactly why her departure from Céline in 2018 was one of the biggest fashion events of the decade. Adding to the devastation of fans was the appointment of Hedi Slimane as Creative Director of Céline. Slimane rebranded the luxury house head to toe, bringing his Saint Laurent vision, and going so far as to drop the accent from the logo. Céline was no more, and so-called Philophiles waited years for Philo’s return to fashion in some shape or form.
Phoebe Philo announces new eponymous label
The burden was slightly lifted in 2021, when Philo announced that she would be launching her eponymous label. LVMH was behind this new venture with a minority stake. Anticipation had been brewing since then, reaching a peak when the Instagram account of Philo’s label was activated in February 2023. Quickly gathering tens of thousands of followers, the account later declared that the website was live. It was just a black screen calling for subscriptions for further updates, but it was enough to tell that the launch was near.
Her first collection is not technically a collection, but rather an “edit” dubbed A1. Philo distanced herself from the seasonal connotations of a collection, to create more fluidity and room for innovation. She opted for a simultaneous continuation of her codes, like exceptional tailoring and minimalism, while making it known that this is a transformation. Fans aren’t kept in the dark anymore, as the brand also revealed its future roadmap: edits A2 and A2 are expected to drop in Spring and Winter of 2024
Her debut edit was revealed to the press in an intimate yet bright showroom in London, while Philo’s followers rushed to her website. A full array from ready-to-wear to accessories welcomed them, dancing between neutral colors and monochromes. This minimalism was complemented by an intriguing detail in most pieces, from pants with zippers extending the whole back of the leg, to asymmetric cuts and high-level tailoring.
Many looks out of A1 erred on the dressier side, with the exception of leggings and ski sweaters. Avoiding logos, Philo let her designs distinguish themselves from the crowd. Accessories were of course a big point of attention. Jewelry was designed with geometric cuts, mirroring some of her old work at Céline. Bags were polished, with minimal colorways, while totes stole the show with their exaggerated sizes.
Sustainable production at Phoebe Philo’s new brand
It was announced that the production would take place in much lower quantities than the expected demand. This not only added to the already high hype, creating a sense of urgency and scarcity, but also paved the way for a more sustainable way of thinking for the brand. Tackling overconsumption is the main point of concern, to which the first step is to address overproduction.
This is another way for Philo’s brand to center itself around timelessness. In creating high quality pieces that are produced in sustainably minded quantities, Philo adds to the notion of timelessness that already surrounds her design language. She also kept her production mainly in Italy, and for now only ships to Europe, the US, and the UK.
Phoebe Philo
Phoebe Philo is a Central Saint Martins graduate fashion designer who served as Creative Director at Chloé and Céline. Her eponymous label was launched on the 30th of October with much anticipation, following her hiatus from fashion. Backed by LVMH, the label centers around her distinctive tailoring approach and the mix of utilitarianism and femininity, while heralding a new maturity that increased independence brings.
