Phoebe Philo‘s long-awaited new signature collection will include ready-to-wear, leather goods, jewelry, eyewear and footwear, sources told WWD.
It is understood the more than 150 styles planned for September release will be available at a dedicated online store initially shipping to the U.K., Europe and the U.S.
The same sources said Philo has lined up Daria Werbowy to be a face of the brand. The designer had frequently featured the Canadian model, several times in a bathtub, for some of her most memorable Celine campaigns.
Related Articles
Werbowy has been sitting on fashion’s sidelines in recent years, but still counts 266,000 followers on Instagram.
You May Also Like
Contacted by WWD on Wednesday, a spokeswoman for the designer declined all comment.
Philo, who always kept the press at arm’s length, has been skimpy on details since she confirmed in July 2021 that she would be returning to fashion after a four-year break with an independent, namesake house — and with LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton as a minority investor.
At the time, the British designer said she would create clothing and accessories “rooted in exceptional quality and design,” adding: “I am very much looking forward to being back in touch with my audience and people everywhere. To be independent, to govern and experiment on my own terms is hugely significant to me.”
Last February, Philo sparked up an official Instagram account for her signature fashion house, and the first post noted that her 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,” it added.
The Instagram account boasts more than 190,000 followers, with zero posts. It follows no one.
Given her cult following, powerful instincts and antennae keenly attuned to the zeitgeist, Philo’s return to fashion will no doubt elicit cheers from consumers, editors and retailers — and perhaps some nail-biting and angst among her designer peers.
Sources said Philo plans to cultivate relationships with the best customers from her long, acclaimed tenure at Celine, when she made that brand a byword for modernist sophistication — and herself one of the most bankable and influential designers of her generation.
It echoes how luxury’s biggest brands and retailers are now relying on their wealthiest customers for the lion’s share of their revenues — and KOLs to be unofficial ambassadors of the brand.
It is understood the designer won’t return to the runway for at least another year, if ever, and open any stores until 2026, the sources suggested.
Philo is best known for engineering a brand rejuvenation during a 10-year tenure at Celine, one of about 75 brands controlled by LVMH. Season after season, she minted womanly, modernist clothing and distinctive handbags, accruing an intensely loyal fan base.
A graduate of London’s Central Saint Martins fashion school, Philo was classmates with Stella McCartney and worked with her when McCartney launched her own collection after graduation. Philo followed McCartney to Chloé in 1997 and took the top job in 2001 when McCartney left to set up her own fashion house in a joint venture with Gucci Group.
With her striking personal style, Philo succeeded in accelerating Chloé’s rejuvenation and catapulting it into the high-margin leather goods business. She became known for fashions that deftly blended masculine elements like trousers and such feminine fare as frilly blouses.
She resigned from Chloé in 2006 for personal reasons, citing a wish to spend more time with her young children.
Three years later, after lengthy discussions with LVMH about launching a namesake brand, Philo wound up at the helm of Céline, where she debuted a more fashion-forward, minimalist aesthetic, tinged with arty touches. Her collections exceeded all revenue expectations and won wide acclaim, despite her reticence about e-commerce. She exited in 2017.