The Trials of Phoebe Philo

We all know patience is a virtue, but thanks to the increasingly instantaneous world we live in, resulting in attention spans that are shorter than ever (thanks TikTok), the reality is there isn’t much on the docket that even the most queue-obsessed among us is happy to wait for. So, consider my surprise that an industry known for chewing up and spitting out its creative talent pool in the quest for the next big thing continues to wait with bated breath for the return of Phoebe Philo. Well, the day has finally arrived for our first taste of Philo since the English designer's final bow as Celine's creative director six years ago. So, how did we get here, and where does Philo fit in a world that's changed so much since?

Philo first announced the launch of her LVMH-backed eponymous label in 2021, but it was only this year that fans of the designer got a real taste of what to expect. Back in June, the known social media recluse launched a brand Instagram with the first post reading ‘our inaugural collection will be revealed and available on our website, phoebephilo.com, in September 2023. We will be opening for registration in July 2023 and look forward to being back in touch then.’ The false start was followed by an ominous sweep of the account, followed by a newsletter to those who signed up stating that 30 October would be the true launch date.

Landing in mailboxes worldwide, fashion fanatics have been invited to peruse Philo's first designs since she left Celine in 2018 after a decade at the helm of the Parisian brand. It was in that time that she amassed a horde of fans in and out of fashion with her cult-favourite accessories, sophisticated tailoring, and subversive take on sensuality that would define the modern woman's wardrobe for years to follow. In SHOWstudio's Narrated Catwalk series, fashion critic Cathy Horyn described the effortless nature of Philo's era at Celine as 'informal. it's not all done up'.

And that's exactly how I would describe what we're met with when looking at the start-up brand's debut offerings. A collection that captures the ease and contrasts of femininity today with sharp-shouldered tailoring and nipped-in waists. A silhouette that's equal parts domineering and sensual. The best example of this being a leather dress that's just as villainous as it is seductive thanks to the sharp cutout down the back, revealing an alternative erogenous zone. Almost a wink to the male gaze. Of course, one of the defining factors of Philo's designs is that she's a woman designing for women.

The power of Philo is precisely rooted in this 'female gaze'. Her designs walked the tightrope of masculine and feminine tropes with such ease that it's impossible not to describe her work without relying on buzzy nonsense terminology like 'chic'. Her aspirational brand of minimalism relied on everyday wardrobe staples like polo neck knitwear and sleek sneakers as much as it did sensual lines.

It’s an understanding of femininity that continues to take the back seat in an industry that's meant to cater to women. Just last month the appointment of Seán McGirr as Sarah Burton’s replacement at Alexander McQueen sparked online outrage at the lack of female perspectives in the industry. But truthfully, how different is Philo’s new line to what we’re seeing in fashion today?

As such an influential curator of taste, the years between her swan song at Celine and the launch of Phoebe Philo today has been rife with not only fast-fashion clinging to her repertoire for inspiration but her own acolytes becoming big names in their own right. Most notably, fellow Brit Daniel Lee, whose early collections as Bottega Veneta's creative director were plagued with comparisons to his former mentor's work, and Peter Do whose subversive tailoring (and high price-tag) has quelled the hunger of Philo-phytes since.

While I'm no Diet Prada and don't think you can trademark zipper placement, Philo's debut features a pair of trousers with full-length zips down the leg not dissimilar to a pair found on Do's S/S 23 runway. A testament to the oversaturation of her design language in contemporary fashion or Philo taking back what's rightfully hers?

Then there are the accusations of racial prejudice that have resurfaced leading up to the label’s launch. A clip from a 2022 episode of ‘Sway’s Universe’ featuring Iman, where the model accuses the designer of a history of racism. ‘She has a right to her runway, and I have a right to my pocketbook’, explains Iman after saying she never bought a Celine bag due to Philo’s aversion to casting black models for her shows. It also wasn't the first time Iman has brought up the allegations, having first publicly stated that she refused to support both the designer and the brand in a 2013 Standard interview when she stated ‘I walk the walk. I can get another It bag. I have my wallet. I make the conscious decision not to buy that stuff’.

And she wasn’t alone. In that same interview fellow model and activist Bethann Hardison explained, ‘she’s [Philo] a cool girl. But Celine has never had a coloured person showing in their collection. Ever’. Later in her time at Celine, Philo would regularly cast Binx Walton and Selena Forrest Wear to not only walk in her shows, but also star in campaigns shot by longtime collaborator Juergen Teller.

The casting for Phoebe Philo’s debut collection is (thankfully) much more diverse than the days Hardison spoke out. Still, accusations like that, from industry heavy hitters like Iman and Hardison don’t fade away easily. This, of course, begs the question of whether Philo is the prodigal talent that warrants a case of ‘forgive and forget'. Because for every article on Celine superfans preaching Philo’s female-first genius, there’s only a fraction that dare discuss the accusations above.

So where does that leave us? Philo's debut feels like a continuation of her days at Celine six years later and is sure to appease the cult-following who have held her name in reverence all this time. But the over-saturation of an aesthetic that she pioneered means those who aren't as loyal to her vision will need more than a little convincing that her eponymous label is more than a novel throwback. No matter how you cut it, the biggest crime Philo has committed today, is bore us.

Head to phoebephilo.com to decide for yourself.