After a considerable respite from the fashion scene since her departure as Creative Director of French label Celine in 2018 and much speculation concerning the rumours of her own brand, Phoebe Philo has officially taken the wraps off her very first namesake collection earlier today.
The Parisian-born English designer is highly celebrated among sartorial circles for introducing a distinct code of distinguished, elegant comfort into the fashion landscape after taking the helm at Celine, and has been recognised for her exceedingly adept use of tailoring, colour-blocking with neutrals, and clean, loose silhouettes that offered a stark palette cleanser for a time in style history that was often associated with body-con sultriness.
In the case of her eponymous label, Philo hasn’t left her legions of devotees disappointed, releasing a concise 150-piece collection dubbed ‘A1’, that has made easy work of ticking every box on a predictable list of expectations: an unrivaled approach to sleek tailoring, comfortably broad, practical shapes with dramatic drapes for flare, and of course, an informed selection of textures and materials at play.
This time around, her designs have also been elevated with a punchy note of confident sexuality, such as by way of zippers that draw up the seams of trousers to the buttocks for a skimpy flash of lasciviousness. Additionally, oversized shoulders play out as a core motif in the collection through coats and jackets, apropos to the ongoing trend propelled by Vacarello’s Saint Laurent and Gvasilia’s Balenciaga, but with softer, rounder lines.
Clothing aside, Philo has made a strong case for herself as one of fashion’s most formidable handbag designers, creating a litany of classic Celine shapes that continue to have luxury consumers in a chokehold such as the Luggage and the Cabas. In the case of her own ‘A1’ collection, three styles have been introduced to the lineup. Here’s your first look at all of them.
Source: Lifestyle Asia
