Philophiles, rejoice. Finally, after an excruciatingly dragged-out six-year hiatus, British designer Phoebe Philo has officially launched her namesake brand. The lauded designer has long been hailed as a cult figure in the world of fashion, famed for the chicly minimal aesthetic she built during her ten-year tenure at Céline.
On October 30, Philo unveiled the inaugural collection dubbed ‘A1’, exclusively online. Composed of 150 styles spanning ready-to-wear, accessories and leather goods, the designer introduces a collection composed of “seasonless” wardrobe pieces that will launch in three separate releases over the course of the next few months.
So, what does it look like? Exactly what we were hoping for – an incredibly robust repertoire of pieces that exude that same sense of smart-yet-sexy elegance that characterises old Céline, however, a little darker and edgier. Highlights from the first drop include pieces that are all about proportion and silhouette: tailored tops, wool overcoats, trenches, cargo pants and roll-neck sweaters.
Additionally, for this collection, Philo played around with textures and textural details that can be seen on a hand-combed embroidery that looks like faux fur, a hand-knitted dress covered in iridescent sequins and a bomber jacket with hand-cut leather fringe. There’s also a fun play on one leather jacket, with batwing sleeves sharply cinching the waist.
Then, there’s the accessories. The collection features capacious leather totes and structured quilted bags that are bound to find themselves on top of this season’s must-have lists. There’s also these ski goggle glasses and architectural footwear to marvel at. The undoubted hit of the collection, however, is the 23-karat gold-plated sterling silver necklace with the word ‘MUM’ encircling the neck.
The launch feels like a homecoming for Philo, with model Daria Werbowy – the designer’s muse throughout her Celine years – appearing in the collection’s accompanying images.
Shop the collection here.
Images by Phoebe Philo.
