Philophiles Rejoice, as Phoebe Philo ‘Sets the Date’ for Her Much-anticipated Label Launch
Following years of speculation around a launch date, after British designer Phoebe Philo announced she was returning to fashion with a label under her own name in 2021, the former Céline Creative Director has confirmed that she will reveal her new collection in September 2023. The news was debuted by the designers freshly created Instagram account (@phoebephilo), which has already amassed over 45,000 followers, with a single post which outlined:
“Our inaugural collection will be revealed and available on our website, phoebephilo.com, in September 2023”
Philo has been revered in fashion circles for the sexy feminine edge she brought to Chloé, where she stepped into the Creative Director role from first assistant, when Stella McCartney departed in 2001. Structured baby doll dresses, slouchy cropped trousers, and soft bohemian midi dresses were par for the course during her tenure, where she was also responsible for designing the much-loved Paddington bag with its chunky statement padlock, at a time when the ‘It’ bag was a major marketing and revenue driver for fashion brands.
One of the most influential female Creative Directors of her time, in 2008 Phoebe Philo took the reins, and subsequently brought back to life, the storied fashion house of Céline founded by Céline Vipania in 1945. Ushering in an era of New Minimalism and women dressing for themselves rather than for men. Her oversized tailoring, expert ways with leather, the architectural lines of her outerwear, her cocooning and curved silhouettes, and her deft hand at graphic prints – think tree bark and woven shopping bags – were covetable discreet wardrobe additions for women seeking clothing that would make them stand-out for all the right reasons. Attendance to a Céline show was one of the hottest invitations to secure at the time, so it came as a shock to both fashion insiders and her legions of fans – affectionately known as the ‘Philophiles’ – when Philo took the decision to step down from the role that she had held for 10 years.
As a creative who has always done things her way and didn’t succumb to the continuous churn of the fashion machine – she famously cancelled the Fall 2012 Céline show due to her pregnancy, after which she took an unheard-of two-year maternity leave, and moved the design studio to the UK, so she could remain in London – the decision to take her time to launch her label seems like the right one. Coming at a time when brands are either trying to stay relevant, decipher exactly what their customer wants, endlessly chase Gen Z’s dollars and shortened attention spans, or create products to feed into an endless cycle of hype in order to sell. Philo has created an enviable fervour for her return and her brand by remaining deliberately aloof and away from the headlines. One would guess as a way to focus on the product alone, as expectations are certain to be sky high, but whether it be from editors, retailers, her loyal following of former customers, or even fellow designers, if her previous work is a sign of things to come Philo may just give the world of fashion back what it has been missing since she left.