Phoebe Philo: The Secrets of Her Comeback

When in December 2017, the English designer left Céline, the world of fashion shrunk a bit. Three years later, her return is breaking news. But why did she pick this specific moment to return to the catwalks?

WHO’S AFRAID OF Phoebe Philo?

Certainly not Heidi Slimane, her successor at Celine (then Céline), who carves his own path, the French way. Being backed up by big fashion houses, the creative stars who sign collections also have no reason to be afraid of her. The ones who could have reasons to worry about the return of the English designer are those who place their bets on the new luxury the way the post-pandemic era shapes it. For example, Virgil Abloh and Demna Gvasalia could relate with her more through innovation than aesthetics.

Philo’s return after three years didn’t come as a total surprise.
Before that, she had been an honorary jury member of the ANDAM Awards, which took place in Paris, showing up from London via the internet. Meanwhile, many people saw the designer coming and going in Paris to meet with Bernard Arnauld, the notorious CEO of LVMH and the same person who had asked her, back in 2008, to undertake the house of Céline, as it was trying to recover after Michael Kors leaving in 2004. 

“I want to create clothes, shoes, bags and accessories that are connected to the now, with contemporary and exciting designs that modern women will appreciate,” she told WWD at the time. And, apparently, she did it with an entire “army”, the Philophiles -the faithful followers of Phoebe Philo-, following her in her passage through Céline. The proof of her impact is that the Instagram account @oldceline, dedicated to the years that Philo was in the house, has more than 380 thousand followers, even after her departure. Not to mention Céline pieces with her signature – what is left of those collections – that skyrocketed at resale prices.

WHY IS SHE COMING BACK NOW?

She announced her return last July with a brief statement: “Being in my studio and creating again is exciting on the one hand and fulfilling on the other. I look forward to communicating again with my audience and with people everywhere.” 

But why is Philo coming back now? 

The answer that three years was rest enough is rather superficial. Philo had also taken a break in 2006 when she left Chloé, whose value climaxed at $300 million. Her priority at the time was to be with her family, as she confessed to Gentlewoman in 2010: “I had no real-life and leaving Chloé was the most decent thing I could do.” Today things are different. Chloé’s Philo has very little to do with Céline’s. Already considered one of the most influential people in the fashion industry, through her approach that praises feminine minimalism, clean lines, dynamic silhouettes and artistic finish, Philo also focused on accessories, especially handbags: the famous and practical Luggage Tote is a success story with huge sales. No wonder she is regarded as a designer who can break the rules, introduce an entirely new language to a house and be commercial at the same time. Maybe that’s the reason why the otherwise relentless LVMH, which will have a small stake in Philo’s venture, gives her complete freedom, not just because she enjoys the trust of Delphine Arnauld, the daughter of the founder of the French fashion giant, Bernard Arnauld. “It is very important for me to be independent, to manage and to experiment on my own terms,” ​​says the designer.

But being influential alone does not explain the timing of her return because this comeback has a deeper symbolism. Philo’s three years of absence coincided with a significant change in fashion. The dominance of streetwear over Philo’s minimalism raised a quest for new patterns and rules. The pandemic caused the fashion industry a great shock, and now it redefines itself through the prism of ecology, consciousness and down-to-earth luxury in a troubled world full of inequalities. In this “ecosystem”, Philo’s presence will be a new challenge very simply because, as the New York Times rightly pointed out, her decision to return is based on the fact that she has something completely new to say to the world. 

And one last thing: her passion for creating an almost independent house may affect the fashion industry as a whole and make it abandon the status of the star creative directors -on a payroll, nonetheless- who move from one house to another, to pursue another type of business relationship and create more autonomous brands that will enjoy more freedom, beyond the heavy names of the Houses.

What should we expect?

When Philo announced her return with her own brand, Phoebe Philo Studio, probably based in London, she said it would be all about “clothing and accessories of exceptional quality and design”. One thing is certain: the prices will be high, as in Céline. However, the information is minimal – the official presentation will take place in January 2022- and focuses on the ecological concern of the designer with an emphasis on sustainability, the hottest current more-than-trend in the fashion world. Some even talk about a men’s line: not unheard of, since her creations have fans of the likes of Kanye West, who wore a Céline piece to the Coachella festival in 2011.