Phoebe Philo, British fashion designer, was the creative director of the French Fashion House Céline for 10 years. She started loving fashion at a young age, and ended up studying design at Central Saint Martins, in London. She then became creative director of the brand Chloé, following Stella McCartney, in 2001, and left the brand in 2005.
It was in 2008 that Phoebe Philo became the creative director of Céline, and changed the way women dress forever. As of February 2018, Hedi Slimane (who was creative director of Saint Laurent from 2012 to 2016) took over the fashion house and even removed the brand name’s famous “É”, making it only go by Celine.
However, back when Céline still had its É, hence when it was designed by Philo, it was a huge success. At the epitome of details and minimalism, Céline by Phoebe Philo reinforced the idea of classicism yet still managed to make it smoothly fit in the modernity of today. “Not having to say too much”, is the message that Phoebe wanted to share. Inspired by her own music taste, the movies she loved or her entourage, Phoebe’s designs for Céline were indeed very personal. In the past decade, Céline was also about putting everything together, blending every style and outfit, making it fit in that particular bourgeois aesthetic, that is calm yet so chic.
This is how the Céline designs became so desirable: they’re modern, clean, classy and correct, and make you wonder why you still haven’t purchased half the collection. Phoebe Philo knew how to make her artistic expression a commercial success, she knew how to sell art, and this is why she is a real force in fashion. Coats were a big part of the collections, and so were dresses, bags, scarves, leggings, mismatched shoes, all redesigned to fit the high fashion, classic and modern atmosphere. The Céline woman was elegant, and the appreciation of details, that Philo designed, became a must in luxury and styling. With these pieces, a classy yet powerful and confident woman is created. The Céline woman does not dress for others, but chooses to dress for herself and her own image.
