Wherever she went she left an indelible mark, that of her style. Phoebe Philo, in his over twenty-year career, he has characterized his work with a minimalist aesthetic and a great attention to quality. After an absence of three years from the stage she is ready to return with one of her own new brand, already acclaimed loudly by the public.
Who is Phoebe Philo
Born in 1973, Phoebe Philo was born in Paris from British parents, at the time working in France for work. The mother, Celia, was one gallery owner and an artist, also famous for making the album cover Aladdin Sane by David Bowie. Since she was a child, Phoebe has shown her talent, particularly when at 14 she receives a sewing machine as a gift with which she personalizes her clothes.
He continues to cultivate his passion by studying at the Central Saint Martins in London, a prestigious fashion and design academy frequented by renowned talents, such as Alexander McQueen and Stella McCartney. Precisely with the latter, his fellow student, he forms a very fruitful personal and working relationship, becoming his assistant from Chloé from 1997 to 2001. Together they will give the French fashion house a new, all-female approach, offering products created by women for women.
Career
In 2001 Phoebe took over from Stella McCartney as creative director of Chloé, holding the position until 2006. In this period she launched a series of bags destined to go down in history: the Bracelet Bag and the Paddington model are an immediate success and the British designer is increasingly acclaimed by critics. These are the years in which she is praised by Anne Wintour and defined by the New York Times as “the new Coco Chanel”. To devote himself to his family, in 2006, he decides to return to London and thus leave the brand of Gaby Aghion.
But the proposals for a talented like Phoebe are not long in coming. In 2008 Bernard Arnault (owner of the luxury group LVMH) offers her the guidance of Céline, whom she accepts on condition that she can work from London, in order to reconcile work and private life in the best possible way. It is the golden decade, the one between 2008 and 2018, for fashion and for the English designer. Already from the first collection, Phoebe introduces the concept of “contemporary minimalism“, Making some logic less is more its strength. Without chasing seasonal trends, Phoebe is able to invent a timeless and aspiring style, combining different characteristics: elegant, practical, discreet, feminine, intellectual. All its collections are designed for the modern woman, empowered but not sexualized, which needs a fashion without excess, desirable and comfortable at the same time.
In Céline’s decade, bags once again proved to be the cornerstones of her brand: the Box Bag, the Phantom Luggage and the Classic they are still highly sought after models with bright colors, which combine perfectly with minimal outfits. Double-breasted coat and trench coat beige, male pants and wide or the midi skirt accompanied by knee-high boots: these are just some of the items that have characterized the style loved by the so-called Philophiles.
The Philophiles
Phoebe’s inspiration and genius are manifested not only in her collections, but also in her styling choices. It is she who first brings the Birkenstocks to the catwalk and launches the Adidas Stan Smith wearing them, herself, with a black suit.
Fascinated by this style, myriads of women fall in love with Céline. The Philophiles in fact they are born from the homonymous blog that collected photos of the personal style of the brand lovers. They can be defined as followers of a style devoted to an aesthetic that combines beauty and practicality. Speaking of the Philophiles, the designer states:
They are all different women but with the same love for clothes that suggest novelty while being made to last well beyond the fast pace of clothing trends.
With her talent and bold choices Phoebe Philo becomes a symbol of women empowerment and emancipation and earns the esteem of her followers. The winning key to this style is that any girl or woman, even without luxury clothes, can be a Philophile. All it takes is a pair of white sneakers, an oversized sweater paired with a tailored coat and anyone can recreate the clean and elegant aesthetic so coveted.
The launch of the new brand
His retirement in 2018 and his absence in these three years had left a great void in the world of fashion and its fans. The rumors have finally been confirmed and, following her latest job as creative director, Phoebe Philo is ready to return. The New York Times revealed that the designer will launch her new eponymous brand, with a smaller investment from the LVMH group. The debut is scheduled for January 2022, but there is still the utmost reserve about the nature of the collection. What is certain is that Phoebe said she can’t wait to get back in touch with her audience, and we are equally excited to discover her new offerings.