Phoebe A”cheaper”1 Philo

Quoting @yosoymichael from Twitter: ‘Phoebe Philo didn’t stop at “Open your purse!” She said, “Sell your house, rob a bank, and do some credit card fraud too!”’When the long awaited email dropped, I’m sure some tumbler age “Phiophites” gasped.

Background

To contextualize Phoebe Philo, we need to step back to “old Celine” and the legacy Phoebe had on “chic minimalism”. she’s the mommy of what’s now TikTok cringe of “quite luxury”.

Phoebe Philo, after serving as the creative director at Chloé for five years, left in 2006, succeeding her friend and predecessor, Stella McCartney, who had departed in 2001. Philo carried forward the growth momentum initiated by McCartney, garnering a dedicated customer base. Her exit from Chloé, cited as a choice to prioritize her family, was unexpected given her career peak. (Glance at her namesake brand’s MUM necklace)

Her absence led to the rise of brands with a similar aesthetic, like Victoria Beckham in Spring/Summer '09, The Row in Autumn/Winter '07, and H&M's COS in Spring/Summer '08. Though these brands emerged during Philo's hiatus, their establishment would've begun in her absence, with COS, backed by H&M, being swift due to more resources.

Philo's influence is undeniable; even lesser-known to the general public, her design essence impacted the fashion realm. She made a return, not with her own label but as the creative director at Celine in 2008. Her debut show was Spring/Summer '10. Despite challenges and competition, Philo's distinct, consumer-focused designs set her apart. Her time at Celine further cemented her influence, elevating the brand's financial standing in the industry.

Let’s quickly go over what made “old celine” the golden days, and birthed a cult following.

I. The Hallmarks of Philo’s Design Aesthetic:

Palette Choices

• Monochromatic Mastery: Philo often favored a muted, monochromatic palette – a deliberate choice that exudes a sense of timeless elegance.

• Emphasis on Neutrals: The use of beige, white, black, and navy became almost synonymous with her tenure at Céline.

Bookmark: Materiality & Texture

• Tactile Luxury: From the buttery leathers to crisp cottons, the materials scream luxury but in a whispered, understated tone.

• Material Interplay: Often paired contrasting materials, like wool with silk, to create depth and intrigue.

II. Silhouette & Structure:

Bookmark: Oversized Elegance

• Effortless Oversizing: Philo championed the oversized silhouette, proving that volume can, paradoxically, highlight femininity.

• Tailored Fluidity: Despite the ample fabrics, there was always a tailored element, whether in a cinched waist or a carefully draped fold.

Bookmark: Functional Femininity

• Pockets and Comfort: Her designs often incorporated large pockets, an ode to practicality without compromising on elegance.

• Ease of Movement: Flowing trousers, loose blouses, and drop-shoulder coats allowed for unrestricted movement.

III. Ionic Pieces & Collections:

Bookmark: The 'Old Céline' Trope

• The Trapeze Bag: A beautifully structured bag with wings, it quickly became an 'It' item under her direction.

• Glove Shoes: The V-cut shoe design, both in flats and heels, became a footwear phenomenon, emphasizing comfort and chicness.

  
  

  

  
  

Bookmark: The 2015 Spring Collection

• The Modernist Touch: Philo's play on proportions, asymmetry, and tunics over trousers presented a fresh take on layering.

• Subtle Femininity: Pieces like the knit dress with flowing strands heralded a new, confident femininity.

Her Proteges show how far back her roots extend. She nows she's Phoebe Philo and she birthed all of them

Daniel Lee - After working under Philo at Céline as the Director of Ready-to-Wear Design, he took the helm at Bottega Veneta in 2018. Under his leadership, the brand saw a significant rejuvenation in its aesthetic and became a favorite among fashion enthusiasts and celebrities.

Naza Yousefi - She was a former accessories designer at Céline during Philo's tenure and later founded the handbag label Yuzefi, which has become quite popular.

Peter Do is a notable designer who once mentioned that he was influenced by Philo. After studying at FIT in New York, he worked at Derek Lam and then joined Céline under Phoebe Philo, although he never worked directly with her. He later founded his own eponymous label, which is known for its tailored pieces and minimalist aesthetic reminiscent of Philo's work. He’s now heading the comeback of Helmut Lang.

Rok Hwang - The founder of the brand Rokh worked at Céline under Philo. His label showcases deconstructed pieces, precision tailoring, and unique details that hint at his experience under Philo's mentorship.

Lucie and Luke Meier - While their direct connection to Philo is not as former direct subordinates, they've exhibited aesthetic affinities with her. The duo, currently at the helm of Jil Sander, bring a minimalist and thoughtful design approach to their collections.

Gabriela Hearst - Although she did not work directly under Philo, Gabriela Hearst's design ethos, which is sustainability-driven with a minimalist touch, has often been compared to Philo's work.

New Collection

The elephant in the room - Price

Let's use the brand's most expensive bag currently, the 'XL Cabas, as an example for how baffling Philo's pricing is. It's a huge tote bag in calf leather-"calf leather," remember that--that's selling for $8,500. Now let's go back to the mid-2000's where an average bag from a fashion house can costs about $700-$1,500. Philo's famous 'Paddington' bag in leather when she was at the creative head of Chloe was around $1.500 at the time. Even the most expensive bag of a fashion house would always be made out of exotic leather, that would've costs around $4,200.

The price was a positioning necessity. Through it, Philo placed herself at the upper echelon of fashion — both in brand positioning and price. It feels like LVMH’s attempt to have an uber-luxury (Channel and Hermes. To be fair, it’s the price-point with the higher growth potential and less saturation. Hermes trying to keep the LVMH size just at 17%, so they’re trying to go around. And although Phoebe Philo doesn’t have the same demand power due to lack of “heritage” — and it’s hard to find a designer that carries the same amount of weight Philo.

“Affordable Luxury” is sort of a weird thing to say for people that know Phoebe. These commenter are unserious and should really stop weighing in on these subjects. As @shannon_sense put it, “even if everything was reduced by 30% it would still be too expensive for most people.” There’s sooo much to be said about the ways people evaluate luxury fashion from their own perspectives rather than from the perspective of luxury customers.

I disagree with people that say it’s extremely expensive. It’s not. At least for Philo’s perceived standing. Chloe and Celine customers might not have prepared for the astronomical prices. I was expecting a higher price. They’re more mixed than I expected. I really was anticipating only the high priced items at first to establish the price point of the brand. But the range was a pleasant surprise, entry point products are usually a good idea and allows most people to get in on the action. I just didn’t expect so many so early.

Look, i’m not saying I can afford this, but I’m meant not to. It’s meant to be something to look forward to and them achieve. Not just buy. Pricey, but its a well studied price point, so I think its smart for the branding and positioning

However I disagree with people that say, similarly to Daniel Lee at Burberry right now, Philo must first acclimate her old customers used to her Chloe and Céline prices, as well as her new and potential ones to this new pricing under her name so that the bridge between "want" and "closet" which is actually buying the pieces and ensembles becomes easier to walk on.

Also between the time that I started writing this, and now finished, over 50% of the products in Philo’s website have sold out. Her target audience are ready to spend their money for her and that’s what she focused on. Touché

That leads me to this Rabkin post reacting to the initial release announcement about the mythical nature of Philo and luxury at large.

Phoebe Doesn’t Exist

This aura of this collection just selling out without any ads, runway, posters, influences, or anything the typical “high-fashion” world is used to, reminds me of Eugene Rabkin’s blog “Philo doesn’t exist”. Quoting directly, “the collection will be revealed [and it was] not in real life but through images – simulacra – and will be sold online, a hyperreal way of shopping. No one will have any direct contact with the clothes – arguably the only piece of reality here – until they will get a box at their home. Until then, no one will know how the materials feel, how the garments fit, or their true colors. We will not get an insight into Phoebe Philo’s work process, because she does not give interviews. We will never really know who designed the collection, how it was designed, and what it really looks like. The entire thing is a simulation.

To drive his point further, in 1991 Baudrillard wrote three articles about the first Gulf War: The Gulf War Will Not Take Place, The Gulf War Is Not Really Taking Place, The Gulf War Did Not Take Place. Of course he did not mean that there was no military action happening in Kuwait; what he argued was that our only experience of the war was through a narrow channel of highly mediated messages that have only tenuous relationship to the reality on the ground.

In other words, we live in a simulation – via screens, through social media, soaked in a semiotic system created by the vast leisure industry – entertainment, news, advertising, and so on. Similarly, when the Phoebe Philo collection came out this fall The Gulf War did not take place. Phoebe Philo does not exist.

Right Time?

In a 2006 statement responding to creating her own brand, she said it wasn’t the right time was actually right on the money so now that we are once again in an awful financial situation with what seems like an impending recession, the good old minimalism rises, and to Philo, this seems like the “right time” — along with Arnault’s backing ofc. Looking at the correlation of fashion and recession,

• Chanel having a rise around the Depression in 1920s.

• 1991 Helmut Lang and Jil Sander

• 2008 recession and Philo’s rise at Celine. At the time, she was sweeping away the excess of aughts fashion with a confident new minimalism. Tapping on similar instincts now, she has an even bigger following to rely on.

• In 2023, the cringe “old-money” and elevated basic.

The messaging from the website seems spot on: “Our aim is to create a product that reflects permanence.”

Subtle Wardrobe Direction

This Phoebe Philo feels like The Row had an affair with Rick Owens and the gay son was Bottega and thot daughter was Loewe very chic.

Everything on the website seems relaxed, less trendy, dignified. It’s reminiscent of older couture when designs were for women over 40, and aspirational. I love that she’s separating the girl from the women. This collection her news collection is about women. No Influencers, no celebrities just design and great products! The most important thing about it is intrinsic value. So much of fashion is what other people like And not what the customer actually likes. Now. It's swinging back to the customer, and I'm all for it.

The ultimate modern wardrobe from a dissatisfied woman" says it all. And I like the collection...with caveats. But what really excites me is the idea that this collection could...maybe...free other designers from the crushing cycle of, as Horyn puts it, "chasing growth." That chase has literally killed some of our greatest modern designers, and driven others to breakdowns. If this new Phoebe Philo augurs a new model, I'm all for it.

Rather than attempt radical change, Phoebe Philo’s new collection offers women a subtle way to evolve their wardrobes. Having pushed boundaries before, Philo understands most women reach a point where overhaul is replaced by nuance. Adding special pieces allows self-expression, not reinvention. Philo knows women harbor hidden boldness behind practicality. Her clothes enable this duality. Witness trousers with a teasing back zipper, or a toothpick pendant necklace for discreet utility. Philo relates to the life stage where less becomes more. Her “edits” resonate by providing the special over the sweeping. Limited availability complements crafting a wardrobe across seasons, not discarding it each time. For women seeking expression through subtlety, Philo provides the perfect avenue in this new collection. Its allure is in Evolutionary, not revolutionary, dressing.

"And my chick in that new Phoebe Philo
So much head, I woke up to Sleepy Hollow" Ye