The british fashion designer who is leading the pack
She is talking about celine, the french fashion label she took over in 2008 in a blaze of publicity, and transformed into a global phenomenon almost overnight.Until philo's arrival, celine had been floundering.Under michael kors, who stepped down in 2004, it was beloved by the monied new york professional.However, despite the brand's longevity it was founded in 1945 by celine vipiana it lacked a heritage to rival the more well known french fashion houses.There was no trademark tuxedo or pussy bow blouse to think of, for example, nor anything remotely as famous as dior's new look line skirt or chanel's boucl wool suit.
"Some of the brands i respect most in http://www.lekam.co.uk/ the world have that core,"Philo continues,"So i'm proud that people are now coming back and asking for the same thing. "
With that in mind, and just a little over two years after philo's arrival, the celine look is already instantly identifiable.There's the collarless white shirt with ultra long cuffs, designed to be worn with tails trailing behind;The fluid, wide legged trousers;The sleeveless dress that stands away from the body as opposed to clinging to its curves;The crpe jumpsuit.Celine has several highly covetable bags, such as the soft leather"Cabas"And the equally protean, small but perfectly formed"Classic"With its brushed gold clasp, to name but two. "There are elements that have become classics to us.They sell really well.The response has been good.Trousers, tailoring, shirts, skirts.'Category pieces'.I hate these kinds of words but they've sort of become[she pulls a face] staples. "
However one chooses to put it, it is safe to say celine is today the ultimate stealth wealth tag for the intelligent, modern woman to see and be seen in.And if that level of attention is fashion's holy grail, more impressive still is the fact that philo relies not on anything obviously publicity seeking or high impact.Instead, the appeal of her work lies in its apparent simplicity and unassuming, no frills approach.This is an aesthetic aimed squarely at a discerning and confident customer who would rather not parade any obvious fashion credentials and for whom both modesty and discretion are of prime importance.And, for that, it is a breath of fresh air.
The celine autumn/winter pre collection, which goes on sale this month, is very much a variation on a similar theme. "It does feel quite british,"Philo says. "I wanted to move into something that felt a bit closer to home.It's pretty masculine.That's how i dress and i think it's quite liberating for women not to have to be so preoccupied with different silhouettes, with different things. "
More importantly, perhaps, and although it may seem like the most obvious thing in the world, philo says of the work in question: "I like it. "There are those who might argue that she would say that, but the fact remains that what phoebe philo likes, sells and it always has done.And she therefore finds herself in the happy position of having been given a fair amount of what she likes contractually by the lvmh owned celine in return.The powers that be behind this, the world's largest luxury goods conglomerate, courted her for some time and have been unusually flexible where any working arrangements are concerned.This is testimony both to the fact that they know a good thing when they see one and that it is possible for a woman to get to where she wishes to be, should she be talented and industrious enough and have the determination to ask for it.
Philo's position is pretty much unique among fashion designers.Celine is based in paris.Not wishing to re locate and being crystal clear about that from the moment negotiations began, she lives and works in london.She has suitably grand, though certainly not ostentatious, offices in a georgian townhouse in cavendish square and the technicians who produce her designs travel from france on a weekly basis to show her any prototypes or work in progress.
Philo insists on a reasonable working day. "I think that's a discipline i've taught myself,"She says. "We're just organised.Everybody in this building knows when i arrive and when i leave and the important things are done within those hours.That's just the way it is.And it works.
"I have a fantastic team and it's much easier having children, because that creates a natural limit.If i have a good time with them before they go to sleep, it's worth everything to me. "
Being a self proclaimed control freak and"Extremely passionate about what i do", she does make exceptions, clearly, especially during show time.It also soon becomes apparent that there's the requisite hefty dose of caffeine involved. "They even have espresso machines in hotel rooms now,"She says happily.Nobody's perfect, not even phoebe philo.For the most part though, she makes sure she's home to put her children to bed each night she has two by her long time partner and husband, the art gallery owner max wigram.
When, in 2006, philo left chlo according to the press statement at the time,"For personal reasons, including spending more time with my new baby in the coming months"The label was at the height of its success.She arrived there in 1997 as stella mccartney's first assistant and when sales were on the floor.She was made creative director in 2001 when the latter went into partnership with the gucci group to launch her own label.
It was widely understood that the secret of chlo's turnaround had been philo's ability to identify what the label's young customers might like to wear even before they'd realised it for themselves.When she took to the helm, that fact was driven home.Boyish tailoring and sweetly flirtatious voluminous tunics, the money spinning paddington bag with its ultra cute and chunky padlock, equally clunky wooden heeled shoes, butterfly pendants and more, sold like the proverbial hotcakes.Philo resigned in a genuine and openly expressed bid for a well earned break and without knowing what the future would hold and in no way consciously playing hard to get.None the less, she found herself in the fortuitous position of becoming hotter property still speculation mounted over what phoebe might do next.
Visitors to celine's london premises are greeted by a seascape courtesy of the aptly named french photographer marine hugonnier and a twinkling tim noble and sue webster light installation that reads,"Forever".Philo's office, on the second floor, is dominated by huge windows and and a ceiling so high it's safe to assume this is probably where any entertaining might have been done in days gone by.
The designer is wearing a masculine white shirt and cropped black trousers, men's shoes which appear to be several sizes too big for her and a shrunken, black leather biker jacket, with articulated quilting at the elbows that she says she bought in japan. "I wear it all the time,"She laughs. "It's taken on my body shape. "Her sandy blonde hair is pulled back from her classically beautiful face, her pale, blue eyes are huge, her cheekbones chiselled and her skin is as nature intended entirely make up free.She says she looks"A bit butch, i suppose".If that refers to the fact that she's never knowingly been spotted in a floral dress, then that's true.
Philo, it has been said before on numerous occasions, is the best possible advocate of her own designs.Alsooft repeated:She is clearly in possession of the best possible taste.In the past, she has been described as aloof and even cold, but that is unfair.Philo is wary, clearly, but disarmingly straight talking and not one to suffer fools gladly.Given that interviews with the designer are extremely rare, it's safe to assume she's ill at ease in the presence of journalists.Certainly, her reluctance to talk about her private life is palpable. "I'm not like that on purpose.It's just about my comfort zone,"She says, not unreasonably.
Philo doesn't tweet, blog or communicate via facebook.When she shows her collections, her backstage area isn't open to the media. "Once the show has happened there's no need to control any image,"She says,"But i don't like the idea of people sending out images before we've even done it.We don't allow anyone to do that.I don't like all that 'model backstage standing around having her picture taken in a stupid pose'. "
In an age where fashion designers are expected to step out on the red carpet alongside the michael kors shoulder bags weston people they are required to dress at every given opportunity, philo refuses to play that game.In light of the media circus that the fashion industry has become, that is refreshing as ultimately forward thinking as her clothes.
"Do you hate being interviewed? "
"I just feel it's really unnecessary. "
"But it's a requirement of the job? "
"It is.But i think that the clothes say it all much better than i can.I always find it strange after a show when everybody comes backstage and says:'What was it all about'?It's like:'You've just seen it.What do you mean?' My instinct is to say:'What did you think?What did you get from it?' And yet they want you to fill in even more.
"To me, the show is quite a complete story.There's nothing more for me to say and, anyway, it doesn't matter what it was meant to say.It's out there.It can be whatever anyone watching it thought it was, surely. "
To sum up, philo is deliberately and uncompromisingly media unfriendly and, while that might frustrate those queuing up to gain access to her(And queue up they do), it has served her well.Despite the zeitgeist, history has proved that leaving at least something to the imagination has never done anyone any harm.
"I do like the idea of women not showing too much,"She says,"Of them being quite reserved in a way, and quite covered,"And she might just as easily be talking about herself as a person as her designs for celine.
"The only way i can do it is by being completely honest.Everything i do here is authentic to me and i do it as if it was my own. "
Here's what is known about phoebe philo.She was born in paris and grew up in west london.She went to south michael kors shoulder bags skorpios harrow comprehensive and was bought her first sewing machine aged 14.
"I never had a massive desire to buy clothes,"She says. "I liked to customise the clothes i already had or was given when i was younger.If i didn't like them that much, i made them how i wanted them to be.This is always a bit difficult to talk about, but i don't really like shopping.I don't get a great feeling michael kors hobo bag out of it. "
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