Although you may not know Phoebe Philo, you must know this handbag.
✦ Céline classic box bag, 2009,Phoebe Philo
This is Phoebe Philo’s first bag design after taking over Céline. It has been very popular since its launch in 2009.
However, this is not the only representative of Phoebe Philo. The female minimalist pioneer designer’s influence on the fashion world cannot be overstated-her work at Céline and Chloe has won widespread praise for her clean, streamlined aesthetic, which has greatly influenced people’s perception of fashion itself.
✦ Chloe, S/S2004
In addition, some people say that Phoebe Philo has redefined the meaning of modern women’s dress in the past decade. She combines the minimalist principle of “less is more” well with the appeal of women, encouraging women to prioritize their unique tastes and preferences by deliberately removing excess decoration and focusing on smooth contours and perfect craftsmanship.
In 2021, five years after Céline’s departure, Phoebe Philo announced that it would launch a personal brand with the support of LVMH, the world’s largest luxury goods group. Until October 30 this year, Phoebe Philo’s personal brand of the same name was finally officially released on the brand’s official website.
✦ Phoebe Philo Personal Brand Poster
The first show did not sell all the products at one time, but released them in A1, A2 and A3 in a mode named “Edit” by Phoebe. Today, people can see all the single items of the series, but only the A1 part, A2 products will be new next spring.
A sheared coat of £ 12000… a leather bomber jacket of £ 8300… Despite the prohibitive price tag, within 24 hours, most of them were sold out, except for a few items.
Phoebe Philo official website
What kind of magic does Phoebe Philo’s aesthetics have? Can fashion fans be so “generous” and “long-term” to her “?
The concept of minimalism dates back to the 19th century, when a group of American writers and thinkers known as the Transcendentalists advocated a simple and natural way of life, and Henry David Thoreau was one of the most influential figures of the movement.
01 Take “minimalism” to the end
✦ Thoreau
Thoreau wrote in his famous book Walden: “I went to the forest because I wanted to live cautiously and only face the basic facts of life to see if I could learn what life wanted to educate me, so as not to find out that I had never lived at all when I was dying.”
This is the original tone of minimalist philosophy: to stay away from the excess and complexity of modern society and to pursue a more simple and meaningful life.
Until today, the fashion of minimalism has expanded to many cultural fields such as art, design and fashion, and even become a unique way of life.
✦ Vassili chair, Bauhaus style minimalist design
Nevertheless, minimalism is not a clear definition of boundaries, or a fixed concept, which can be interpreted and applied in different ways by different people.
For example, there were two trends in minimalist fashion in the 1980 s: large designer brands represented by Armani chose chic and clean purism. Emerging brands, represented by Martin Margiela, push minimalism in a more conceptual direction.
✦ Maison Martin Margiela, F/W1995
Famous Japanese designers such as Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto and Rei Kawakubo continued the early minimalist focus on raw materials. They introduced non-traditional fabrics including polyester, PVC, Lycra, etc. on the show, and showed a preference for all-black styling, deconstruction of clothing, and oversized silhouettes.
✦ Yohji Yamamoto, F/W1990
✦ Issey Miyake, S/S1995
Back to Phoebe Philo, her minimalism emphasizes understatement, clean lines and a focus on the basics. Her collection often uses single-tone color matching, streamlined tailoring, and does not overdecorate. This minimalist approach to design makes the garment stand out through its superior silhouette and handling of details.
Phoebe Philo also pays special attention to the combination of minimalism and practicality. She attaches importance to the functionality of clothing and hopes to make designs that can withstand the test of time. Especially when dealing with luxury fashion, Phoebe expands people’s understanding of luxury through simple and precise lines, high quality craftsmanship and low-key and elegant style control.
✦ Leather T-Shirts, Céline S/S2010
In fact, from women entering the workplace to winning the right to vote, the way forward for modern professional women is also reflected in the development of women’s fashion.
For example, before and after the First World War, women’s clothing began to call for new styles of clothing due to women’s greater participation in social labor. At that time, Coco Chanel redesigned on the basis of traditional men’s clothing to create a more tailored piece for women. Dynamic, clean and well-built became the decisive factors for women’s clothing.
02 What Should a woman wear
✦ Chanel in sailor shirt and pants, 1928
In the context of women’s further participation in the social division of labor, in 1966 Yves Saint Laurent introduced the famous “Le Smoking” (smoking attire), which many believed empowered women by allowing them to choose what to wear usually by men in positions of power.
✦ Le Smoking
In the 10 years after nearly a hundred years, Phoebe Philo quietly led a revolution in women’s wardrobe. She perfectly combines streamlined silhouettes, simple lines and low-key soft colors, demonstrating a free, relaxed and independent femininity.
The intentional removal of excessive decoration is also an important part of Phoebe’s creation of a female minimalist style-to some extent, decorations can be regarded as a superfluous, symbolizing the burden of complex social norms and short-lived social trends on women.
✦ All of Her Bags & Slip Dresses, Céline, F/W2015
Phoebe has always stuck to exemplary craftsmanship, pushing women to invest in single items that will stand the test of time, rather than succumbing to trends. This paradigm shift encourages women to prioritize what represents their unique tastes and styles, and to embrace their individuality wholeheartedly.
Sabrina Marshall (Sabrina Marshall), co-founder of luxury resale site Re-See, once said: “Before she (Phoebe Philo) joined Céline, the fashion world was very different… She changed the fashion world. She knew how to balance our dreams with the reality of what modern women really wear. She will go down in history, just as Yves Saint Laurent pioneering the garment and liberating women.”
Women’s pursuit of Phoebe Philo is partly reflected in their demand for Old Céline’s constant enthusiasm.
During Phoebe’s ten years at the helm of Céline, her personal style was deeply bound to Old Céline. After Phoebe left Céline in 2019, fans’ pursuit of Old Céline remained as strong as ever-it is said that classic works such as Classic Box Bag, Mini Luggage Bag and Trio Cross Body Bag have been popular in Old Céline to this day, the price has exceeded 30% of the original second-hand market price.
✦ Old Céline Instagram
In addition to the attractiveness of the product itself, Phoebe Philo, as a unique female fashion designer, also has a special charm. When she appears in the public eye, she is often as low-key and relaxed as her design, with just the right ease and elegance.
Phoebe’s personal outfits have also been emulated by fashion lovers. The most famous example is that she brought Adidas’s white Stan Smith on fire during the curtain call of Céline’s spring/summer 2011 series. This pair of shoes, which has been selling tepid for a long time, became hard to find overnight, and was even out of stock for a while.
03 Cool clothes?
✦ Phoebe Philo in Céline 2011
As a mother of three, this identity seems to continue to empower Phoebe-she has a better understanding of the situation of modern women and how the practicality and individuality of dress have become the core demands of women’s fashion.
After graduating from St. Martin, Phoebe began working for Chloé, succeeding Stella McCartney as creative director in 2001. Five years later, she left with her second child. After ten years of running Céline and creating many popular items for the brand, Phoebe left again. After 5 years of silence, she returned to the public with her personal brand.
✦ Phoebe Philo, 2004
Whatever Phoebe’s choice, she seemed decisive, free and brave. It was as if she would never be defined and swayed by the various identities that had been imposed on her. This may also be the reason why the public has always been full of expectations for her.
Few ideas, concepts, or schools of design are as alive as minimalism, which means it always gets attention and revisited. It is more of an aesthetic that is closely related to a wide range of social developments and is constantly updated to suit different times. And Phoebe Philo is so dynamic and innovative. Hopefully, in the future, she can continue to develop a minimalist aesthetic in her personal brand and bring more surprises to the public.
(Source: Cc doctrine)
