Phoebe Philo - Designer

[Turnip Rutabaga]

Leather jackets and fur trimmed short dress are nice, but everything else is just outdated. Who does boxy blazers anymore?

 

[susseinmcswanny]

I’m just excited something’s happening lol. But why does everything that is sold out have to have a red filter?? I still wanna see what it looks like!

 

[Thefrenchy]

I’m just excited something’s happening lol. But why does everything that is sold out have to have a red filter?? I still wanna see what it looks like!

Right click and open the image in another tab :-)

Also, it's looking like at least some of it is shot on iphone?! Check the guy in the glasses reflection and the resolution... https://www.phoebephilo.com/media/catalog/product/A/D/AD02_AT0004_812BN_4_ac4c.jpg

BTW no everything has dropped right? Some trousers I like in the lookbook I believe weren't sold in this drop.

 

[FashionFanatico]

This kind of frenzy shopping has nothing in common with conscious consumption as @velvetandsilk already mentioned before. it's the opposite of it.

Designwise? She is the master to trigger desireability with some quite simple, but unique brushstrokes mixing nostalgic and futuristic references together and morph it into her signature.
And i really admire her for her enigmatic approach, She just let her designs speak. Very clever of her. Skipping all the empty marketing phrases and beaten to death «that was my inspiration» nonsense that all the others shout out everyhwere too inflationary.

But i just can't cope with this black friday concept of shopping - even it looks rich for once.

Losing all your senses in a few seconds is just not what i am able to associate with something precious you want to keep and cherish as long as possible.

But i hope it was all worth it. for everybody involved. especially the buyers. let us all know here how happy or not you are with your purchases. i am (still) curious.

 

[MulletProof]

I’m just excited something’s happening lol. But why does everything that is sold out have to have a red filter?? I still wanna see what it looks like!

Seriously, why. I've probably seen too many Gaspar Noé films in my life but the moment I see giant red texts and red filter, do you know where my mind goes? FAR.. only to get some the Weeknd, or a fugly bag!. In other words, no one can ever live up to a red filter, it's not decoration, you either deliver or.. quit playing (but you won't deliver because it's fashion, it's about adding s*it, the red filter is frankly, the less, the better)

 

[GivenchyHomme]

Somewhere Jack and Lazaro are smiling.

 

[LadyJunon]

Right click and open the image in another tab :-)

Also, it's looking like at least some of it is shot on iphone?! Check the guy in the glasses reflection and the resolution... https://www.phoebephilo.com/media/catalog/product/A/D/AD02_AT0004_812BN_4_ac4c.jpg

BTW no everything has dropped right? Some trousers I like in the lookbook I believe weren't sold in this drop.

According to WWD, the collection has been split into 3 drops. This one will probably have all the "showpieces" while the following drops will be simpler in styling. I hope that there's restocks, because so many styles have already sold out.

 

[FashioNarrating]

Well, the selling concept is definitely not too conscious, and the imagery is rather chaotic. As for the designs, I'd say they range from quite good (some of the shoes, viscose made to look like fur) to questionable (who wants a pair of pants that looks like it has large Swiffers attached to the front side?!). The prices are clearly ridiculous, particularly for the quite basic bags and non-descript knits that you can get for much less somewhere else. Overall, I think she ought to offer something more special and present it in a way that's a bit more collected, even though so much of it sold out already and is getting a lot of praise.

 

[susseinmcswanny]

I think it is funny that most of the stuff I personally liked still has not sold out lol maybe I need to reflect. But anyways I don't think there could be any other way. Imagine none of it selling out. When you're putting out clothes that resemble what the rest of the sea of fashion people are doing, despite having the following, there has to be a way to sustain demand. Everything being "sold out " is the basic way to create hype. And even then I feel good about everything selling out because if there actually is a small amount of product, then the brand feels a little more "authentic" to me? Not mass produced. No more than what needs to be. For the specific demographic. Doing what she actually believes in. Hmm. I feel kinda positive about this! And I just really like seeing her name as the label lol.

 

[Frederic01]

I've noticed that quite a few looks are not available to shop at the moment? Wonder if pieces like this will become available in the next "drop" or if there will be completely new looks available?




PHOEBE PHILO

 

[donyan]

I wonder how many were available of each style in order for it to be sold out so quickly.
These first 24 hours were make or break, had it not sold out so fast it might have been deemed a failure very quickly.
It looks beautiful in a very former Celine way, luxurious and wearable. I can see women wearing a lot of this ( I would! ) It’s good to have her and her point of view back.

 

[Drusilla_]

well they were always clear that it was going to be small runs, not surprised things sold out if that was the case. I personally like this look, I've been feeling shawls for a while (have a feeling they're about to become a thing again) and I like the Phoebe take, which actually sounds quite clever (kept in place by buttons on the jacket)

 

[tricotineacetat]

Honestly some of these design details, like having a zipper all the way up behind on a pair of pants or a rectangular scarf thing you can snap around your neck by way of a press button are... well, not up to the level of smartness I'd expect from a designer who is praised as highly as Phoebe Philo has been for years and years.

All these years of absence and hearing how she cancelled entirely on several fully-developed collections already build up very high expectations for what she would then finally present and sadly both her former assistants (Blazy, Lee and Do) as well as her copyists (Meiers, Proenza Schouler, Beckham) live up to this level of design by now!

 

[Turnip Rutabaga]

Now that high-end brands are going more sustainable, how is this buy now -model in line with that? In traditional catwalk schedule one has months to consider where to invest the money in a piece of garment. In Philo's boutique one has to make that decision in minutes. Just wondering how much people return those pieces, just buying them fast in FOMO. So it's like luxury form of fast fashion.

 

[Jungla_Juana]

Honestly I'm more compelled by the imagery and mood than the actual collection, no comment on the pricing..

is the distribution going to be online only or is the brand going to be sold in boutiques anywhere? I need to touch it and try it on!

I'm also very happy that square toed shoes aren't going anywhere

 

[Lola701]

I've noticed that quite a few looks are not available to shop at the moment? Wonder if pieces like this will become available in the next "drop" or if there will be completely new looks available?

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PHOEBE PHILO

The big popelin from the second look was on sale. I purchased it so I guess pieces are not sold based on the lookbook silhouettes.

I wonder if she is going to have a permanent collection or if each drop will erase the previous one.

Now that high-end brands are going more sustainable, how is this buy now -model in line with that? In traditional catwalk schedule one has months to consider where to invest the money in a piece of garment. In Philo's boutique one has to make that decision in minutes. Just wondering how much people return those pieces, just buying them fast in FOMO. So it's like luxury form of fast fashion.

The model is sustainable on the long run for a small company like hers.
It’s the first collection, the first drop and so the anticipation is at an all time high. But let’s not forget that this will be a niche brand.
In two years, people won’t be in a frenzy to buy pieces.

Personally, as a shopper when it comes to buying HF, I like to wait. I don’t do pre-orders for example. But I also think that it’s up to consumers to change the way they are consuming.

An exclusive retail presence will be necessary for her in the future, just to create an engaging client experience. Growth will eventually force her to adjust everything…

 

[Jungla_Juana]

it seems like peope are snapping up Old Celine items left and right - a lot of stuff just disappeared from my wishlist on Vestiaire and VInted. I expect a lot of reselling at Phoebe prices will ensue

 

[fenty]

Well that was underwhelming..

 

[LadyJunon]

The collection really surpassed my expectations. I was really expecting "Céline-lite", but Philo's experimental side really won through. It's much more moody and visceral than anything she's offered at Chloé or Céline. It's almost erotic at times.

The strong vertical line accompanied by the hairy texture adds an element of high-fashion drama. The slashes on the pant legs add a certain air of raw sexuality akin to Helmut Lang.

I don't usually like Philo's bags, but the "Gig" and "Kit" bags were quite nice designs. The XL totes can burn. The shoes look really slick and stylish with the "Jodhpur Boots" being a real highlight of the offering. The sunglasses and jewellery were cool too with the exception of the "Mum" necklace which veers on tacky.

The lookbook is very much "Philo's Celine", but it doesn't bother me too much. It would be a good idea to consider shifting forward to distance herself from Peter Do, who has made a name for himself using those visuals.

The bright red logo is kind of cool and distinctive, even if I would've used a different font with a thinner type.

I think that Philo is off to a good start, but I'm concerned about longevity. The prices are really steep for a newly established label and while it's known that her fans have been saving up for months, I'm unsure whether she'll be able to sustain that for each release. While the low product quantities help with that issue, I worry that people will quickly become frustrated with the whole ordeal.

It would be smart for Philo to invest in getting a couple of exclusive stockists for her label, think Marc Jacobs × Bergdorfs Goodman. That way, she can have a physical presence without overexposing her brand.

Overall, it's a continuation of Philo's work, but it manages to be distinct from the rest of the minimalist tribe.

 

[fizfizfiz]

Despite all the talk about discretion and keeping a low profile, I definitely expect a couple of carefully chosen interviews come December. I reckon that at least one of them will be a lengthy feature on British Vogue, written in the predictably laudatory default mode we all know and love.

One thought: No matter how much clout and influence Philo has amassed during these past years, I think it is virtually impossible to steer a profitable business in fashion if you sever all contact with external forces. The impulse to preserve and cultivate a certain mystique can certainly be positive for a brand. However, niches that are too zealously guarded can also obstruct and suffocate the organic growth of a brand, which should always have a welcoming, well-meaning attitude towards its customers. Case in point: Despite all the draining creative efforts made by Galliano, the seemingly unstoppable Maison Martin Margiela of the 00s seems to currently exist in a sort of rarified vitrine now, as if a relic of a certain avant-garde taste that is now démodé.