The sun has risen, you creak the bedroom
windows open and let the linen curtains blow
in the morning breeze. As you head down
OLYMPIA JCREW
WOMEN WHO WIN
There aren’t many fashion-label launches that insiders wait with bated breath for, but Phoebe Philo’s eponymous brand was one of them. Such is the power of Philo — a designer who redefined the modern woman’s aspiring wardrobe during her tenures at two iconic French houses: Chloé (2001-2006) and Celine (2008-2017). Then, in 2021, with a dedicated cult following of ‘Philophiles’ behind her, she announced the launch of her self-titled label — a rare move in an increasingly cautious climate. The financial backing of Philo’s former employer, LVMH, enabled the creative director’s direct-to-consumer site to land with impressive aplomb in 2023; Philophiles snapped up the majority of the collection within 24 hours. Now, more than a year later, Phoebe Philo is continuing her upward trajectory, with collections stocked in several bricks-and-mortar stores, including Dover Street Market in London and Bergdorf Goodman in New York.
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‘Such is the power of Philo — a designer who redefined the
modern woman’s aspiring wardrobe’
With a knack for creating season-less, minimalist, expertly crafted pieces that the modern woman actually wants to wear, one could argue that Philo pioneered the ‘quiet luxury’ movement before the term had even been coined. At Chloé and Celine, she stripped the collections of stuffiness, choosing instead to design commercial pieces imbued with a cool-girl twist. Her accessories, in particular (think the ‘Paddingon’ bag for Chloé and ‘Luggage’ tote for Celine), have long been lauded by the fashion set. And now her own label is serving up a highly wearable, elegant aesthetic that offers the perfect balance of edge and glamour.
Philo launched her first collection in a series of drops that arrived without fanfare or catwalk shows (because who needs marketing when you’ve already got a committed fan base?). Encapsulating everything we have grown to love about the designer’s aesthetic, the edit fuses high-octane glamour with a touch of athleisure, presenting the perfect mix of casual and feminine, with Philo’s signature playful nod. There are chunky knits, high heels, trousers with statement leg-lengthening zips, slouchy silhouettes, tailored hero pieces and, of course, square-toe shoes. While there are some winter and party pieces to lust after (a black wool coat; a red-sequin dress), the collection is impressively season-less, meaning you can easily mix and match outfits no matter the weather. We particularly love the relaxed tuxedo shirt, structured flared trousers and asymmetrical silk mini dress that can be worn over relaxed jeans during the day and black tights in the evening; Philo instinctively knows what a woman wants to wear in all scenarios. Accessories-wise, we’d be remiss not to mention the ‘Mum’ necklace — an instant sellout in both gold and silver, which you can set up an alert for, should there be a restock at any point (here’s hoping). As for bags, the ‘Kit Cabas’ and ‘Gig’ are both icons in the making. Philo recently teased her second collection, too, with some pieces available to shop in early 2025, and more to follow in spring. But get ready to add to basket at speed: the second drop is of the same ilk, with a touch more glamour.
Phoebe Philo
The cult label on everyone’s lips
Nothing haunts us like the things we didn’t buy and it still hurts to think of the now-sold-out Phoebe Philo ‘Mum’ necklace. Crafted in 24-karat-gold-plated sterling silver or sterling silver, it effortlessly recreated the success of Philo’s bamboo-effect initial pendant for Celine, selling out within 24 hours of the site going live. With an alternating ‘M’ and ‘U’ design, it delivers Philo’s typical tongue-in-cheek aesthetic. Plus, weighted to sit flat against the base of the neck, it instantly elevates a basic T-shirt or silk dress.
With a relatively small collection compared to most designer labels, choosing a few pieces to shop from Phoebe Philo’s new drop should be easy — except there’s not a single item that wouldn’t work in your existing wardrobe. That said, we’re always up for a sartorial challenge. So, here’s our lust-worthy edit of investment pieces, including the perfect coat, evening look, office shirt and accessories.
£11,000
SCARF TRENCH COAT
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£5,800
Cabas Bag
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£855
Flare Trousers
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£900
Soft Pump 90
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£950
Tuxedo Shirt
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£1600
Asymmetric Dress
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‘Encapsulating everything we have grown to love about the designer’s
aesthetic, the edit fuses high-octane glamour with a touch of athleisure’
the DESIGNER
THE ICONS
THE MARIE CLAIRE EDIT
Philo is a creative director who’s committed to creating responsible fashion. Not only do her season-less designs not bow to trends, each piece is made in limited quantities to avoid overconsumption, too, with any waste materials donated to fashion institutions. Use of plastic is kept to a minimum and packaging is re-used where possible. The designer also works with a small number of suppliers across Europe, chosen for their craftsmanship and transparency. In terms of materials, no exotic skins or feathers are used. Instead, Philo looks to certified wool, cotton and viscose suppliers, and is working towards improving the traceability of her leather supply chain back, too, to ensure high standards of animal welfare.
THE IMPACT
The Philophile gang naturally extends to celebrities — fans of Philo’s designs who followed her tenures at Celine and Chloé. It’s no surprise, then, that Kendall Jenner, Chloë Sevigny and Hailey Bieber are among the cool-crowd shoppers who snapped up items from Phoebe Philo’s debut collection.
Philo fan club
jumper, £2,200 Phoebe Philo
shirt, £950, Phoebe Philo
ALL AVAILABLE AT phoebephilo.com
robe, £2,900, Phoebe Philo
bag, £2,600, Phoebe Philo
earrings, £600, Phoebe Philo
scarf, £500, Phoebe Philo
trousers, £1,500, Phoebe Philo
hat, £600, Phoebe Philo
Blanket, £1,700, Phoebe Philo
STYLE BRIEFING
STYLE NOTES
T-SHIRT DRESS, £1,100, Phoebe Philo
Kendall Jenner
Kendall Jenner
Linda Evangelista
Binx Walton
Kendall Jenner
Hailey Bieber
Kendall Jenner
necklace, £3,200, Phoebe Philo
COAT £3,800, Phoebe Philo
the COLLECTION
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TOP, £1,400, Phoebe Philo
Words: PENNY GOLDSTONE
imagery: Phoebe Philo
DESIGN: ANA OSPINA