Will she rise to the top in a luxury market already flush with relaxed tailoring?
Whether your wardrobe already resembles that of an Olsen twin, or you’ve been waiting to dip your toes into the relaxed tailoring trend, it’s time to rejoice – and maybe get a second job – as fashion legend Phoebe Philo’s eponymous label has officially opened for business.
Well, almost. A virtual door check befitting one of the most influential designers of the 21st century, registering your information at phoebephilo.com is your essential ticket to eventually purchasing Phoebe Philo’s new creations. Poised to launch sometime in September, the direct-to-consumer label has been sheathed in anticipatory secrecy since it was first announced over two years ago.
Bar her serifed logo, the designer has offered minimal glimpses into what can be expected visually. The single webpage currently accessible to us window shoppers is, to use today’s online parlance, ‘giving exclusivity’ with its minuscule white text on a black background, chicly communicating the barest of details. A dig around the label’s svelte Instagram offers no further clues.
Information about what the line will offer has, however, been shared. We know that Philo’s first collection will see 150 styles released across clothing and accessories and, true to form, it will be ‘rooted in exceptional quality and design,’ as told to WWD in 2021.
It has also been confirmed that, while the brand is independent, Phoebe Philo will be backed by LVMH – the luxury conglomerate behind French luxury label Céline, where Philo served as creative director for a decade following her five instrumental years at Chloé. It’s a partnership that Philo speaks of fondly, telling WWD, “it’s a natural progression for us to reconnect on this new project. I have greatly appreciated discussing new ideas with Bernard Arnault and Delphine Arnault, and I am delighted to be embarking on this adventure with their support.”
Additional murmurs have suggested that Philo is bringing together a sustainability-focused team for her brand. Meanwhile, model Daria Werbowy – who’s recently been propelled back into the spotlight after a long hiatus, thanks to a widely-reposted pool-side announcement of her Gucci SS24 campaign – is shoulder-tapped to be the face of the brand.
In a landscape that, since Philo’s retreat from the scene in 2018, has seen an influx of designers contributing their own relaxed takes on suiting for the modern woman, it begs the question: will Phoebe Philo immediately reclaim her place at the top of the modern tailoring podium? Or will the styles and silhouettes she pioneered, now adopted en masse, just mean more wide-legged pants wade through?
They often say if you win the public, you win the case. They also say that absence makes the heart grow fonder. By these metrics, and keeping in mind Philo’s cult-like following, we’d say the podium spot is hers to lose.
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Photo credit: Alessandro Garofalo