Phoebe Philo Makes A Comeback

Not much can be said about Phoebe Philo. Or perhaps maybe there can. Last week’s output of fashion news included the inauguration of Philo’s very first ready to wear line. The beguiling designer who declined speaking to Vogue regarding her latest endeavours seems to keep a low profile despite the fact that her career thus far demands ample recognition. Designing for both Chloe and Celine, Philo left the latter in 2017 to pursue other projects and has only just resurfaced with an eponymous namesake label. The brand which is funded by LVHM is hot off the press as of last week and has launched a direct-to-consumer website. With the fashion community at the ready, the hype that has circulated is nothing short of considerable as a great deal of buzz was generated last week. Selling out quickly (the collection is allegedly low in stock as of today), Philo will reportedly issue releases at her own pace and will not follow a traditional fashion calendar. The collections, that she calls ‘edits’ are an amalgamation of the classic Phoebe Philo aesthetic with a focus towards hopefully reigning in a new clientele. As a former CSM graduate and classmate of Stella McCartney, Philo’s latest project promises clothes that exude a traditional Philo type of chic with a wardrobe seamlessly constructed through each edit. Last week’s outpour titled AI was quick to excite many and has reminded aficionados far and wide of Philo’s return to the global fashion conversation.

Sara Palbrant, a former designer for Cos was understandably elated when she first heard of Philo starting her own line. “it’s so exciting to see the return of Phoebe…I always loved her collections at Celine.”

With an instantly recognizable aesthetic, Philo’s return signifies a reshuffling of the creative deck as far as high-end designers go. Many have been profiting off of her aesthetic for years due to its widespread success and profitability. “Im the one that created this aesthetic, and I’m gonna make a statement.” Predicts Patrizio Annibaldi, senior womens design director for Alo when he was asked about the creative impact that Philo’s latest edit will have. Annibaldi believes that this resurfacing is a reminder to the wider fashion community of Philo’s unfettered appeal and commented that it will inject a nostalgic undertone to the season. Although the first edit is obviously unique in of itself, the appearance of the edit reminds us of various iterations of Bottega, Margiela and even Jil Sander over the years, harking back to the original aesthetic that initially brought Philo fame. Considering that the edit presented nothing that hasn’t been seen before, it seems that a return to Philo’s original oeuvre suggests a repurposing of her original ideals with new priorities and targets in mind.

“These people have been profiting from her aesthetic for years now” the designer continued to inform when referring to the countless other houses that have been inspired by Philo’s timeless sense of style. Blazers, asymmetrical tops, puffy bomber jackets and trousers…lots and lots of sleek high waisted trousers (Phoebe’s signature) are on Philo’s autumn a la carte. With a predictably tame colour palette, the only pop of colour in the edit is from a cocktail dress in fluoro red, the rest seems to follow a harmonious colour scheme. Following the alleged success of last week, a second edit is scheduled for spring 2024.

With a considerably scant social media presence, her website offers a generous helping of classic Philo minimalism. Items are presented in a series on her website and are highlighted in red when out of stock. As of today, only a few select pieces remain although it is unknown what the exact demand for these items may be, or when they will be restocked.

“I’ve heard of brands doing this sort of thing” adds Annibaldi when noting the publicity buzz that can be generated over collections allegedly being “out of stock”.

With accessories priced well over 1500 USD, the clientele is clear and instead of creating apparel for the runway, Philo has seemingly decided to create for a designated demographic, preferring to speak directly to her customers through her ethos. With this in mind, Philo seems to be enforcing a niche, which attracts the affluent and sophisticated; however, this particular niche may not be one that includes all. Critique has already been garnered due to the sizing of garments which does not exceed a women’s UK 14, reports have also commented on the lack of diversity in her campaigns, supposedly excluding women of colour. In a world where so much is sensitive, who knows what kinds of repercussions this may have for a young brand, or if Philo will learn to navigate the consistently murky waters of social media.

Supposedly the outcome of these offences will all depend on how much control Philo has over the brand and how much jurisdiction she will be able to wield. As for now, the stage has been set and what has been offered is a beautiful edit that speaks only to Philo’s undisputed talent and esteem. Who knows what to expect for the next edit.

But hopefully the Chenille trousers will be back on the shelves!

Words by Alexander Mays