I had another post that I wanted to work on for today, but for some reason this weekend I became obsessed with Phoebe Philo. I watched the “new” Celine fashion show, helmed by Hedi Slimane on Friday (as maybe did some of you?) and afterward felt depressed. I know there’s way bigger things to be upset and sad about but I think that’s why fashion should be in this world, to be fun and give you an outlet to feel good, and instead I felt like Hedi’s collection was all about an overpaid man erasing the work of one of the best female designers who wanted to create clothing for women and make them feel strong. Emotional? Who, me?
I wasn’t a big shopper of Celine (I have a bag and a coat and some accessories) but I always loved looking at the collections. I thought that Phoebe was usually designing for a taller, more bold woman than me so I knew that a lot of the pieces I admired wouldn’t work if I tried to wear them, but yet I still looked to them for inspiration and an overall aesthetic. And I thought that Philo herself was someone to aspire to, who had built the sort of career where she could step away for years if she wanted to, and come back when the time was right and dictate her own terms to the world’s biggest luxury conglomerate. I know she’s also been lucky, but I also think she is so talented and has a vision.
So to cheer myself up, I looked at some of her own personal style and also wrote down some learnings for myself.
Stay true to what you like! The first photo in tans above is from 2004 and the second is from the Celine period and you can see how Phoebe has stuck to a certain aesthetic. The sweater, the loose trousers. And it looks comfortable, no? I think one thing I’ve always loved about Philo’s Celine is how it usually looks comfortable. Continue Reading