Phoebe Philo: discover her brand’s first collection

Phoebe Philo unveiled her label’s first collection last September 2023

In July 2021, Phoebe Philo took the fashion world by storm when she announced the creation of her own clothing and accessories brand within the LVMH group. During the three-year period after she left the artistic direction of Celine, where she spent ten highly acclaimed years, the British fashion designer would keep a low profile, despite being widely acclaimed by her peers for her elegant, minimalist women’s wardrobe, characterized by straightforward cuts and noble materials.

Since then, Phoebe Philo had kept everyone on the edge of their seat for almost two years, giving no further information about her label. The silence had finally been broken on February 9th, 2023. In a simple white text published on a black background on her Instagram account, the 50-year-old designer shared that her first collection would be revealed in September on the dedicated website, phoebephilo.com, and would immediately be available for sale. In order to offer her followers an exclusive service, Phoebe Philo also announced that the registrations on the new website would open in July.

Finally, this Monday, October 30, 2023, the British designer unveils her first collection on the phoebephilo.com website. On the program are huge fringe-embroidered coats, oversized leather jackets, minimalist pants with impeccable cuts and sublime leather bags.

From model fashion student to her acclaimed stint at Chloé

Although she was born on the outskirts of Paris, the Harrow district in North-West London is the place where the Brit took her first steps. As she developed an early passion for fashion, Phoebe Philo headed to Central Saint Martins to study. After graduating in 1996, she designed her first clothes for a fashion house at Chloé, alongside Stella McCartney, who had left the same school a year earlier. She first worked as her first assistant, then as the house’s artistic director in 2001.

Phoebe Philo redefined the codes of the French fashion house founded in 1952, bringing a breath of modernity while remaining close to its DNA. Her resolutely modern women’s wardrobe would feature oversized silhouettes and a strong emphasis on leather. Her time as Chloé’s artistic director was also marked the birth of it-bags, such as the Paddington bag, which built the house’s reputation regarding leather goods.

The Phoebe Philo era at Celine

In 2008, Phoebe Philo was appointed artistic director at Celine – a historic French fashion house, which used to have an accent on the “é” – and she continued her quest up the fashion ladder. During her reign, several bags became emblematic, such as the Trapèze, the Luggage, or the Phantom.

Her tenure at Celine also saw the advent of lined mules, wide-leg trousers, loose-fitting blouses, and the “liquid” trench coat, characterized by the material’s fluidity and brilliance, among many other pieces. After almost a decade at Celine, the British designer announced her departure from the Parisian fashion house in 2018, leaving behind her a rich array of memorable collections.

While the exact date of the presentation of her eponymous brand’s first collection scheduled for September 2023 remains unknown for now, the upcoming six months will perhaps allow us to learn more about the nature and positioning of this new label. Once again on Instagram, Phoebe Philo has opened her website for registrations, the final act before the launch of the brand.