Cover Phoebe Philo’s first collection in six years, ‘A1’, launched at the beginning of the week (Photo: courtesy of Phoebe Philo)

With Céline’s former creative director launching her eponymous fashion brand on October 30, Tatler decodes what it means for the fashion industry

British designer Phoebe Philo’s highly anticipated fashion brand finally launched online on October 30, and it was an instant hit among the fashion community. The 150-piece collection—which included a mix of clothing, shoes, handbags and accessories—is priced from £340 to £13,000. Half of the collection was snapped up within 24 hours of the launch and as of the publishing date of this article, only 32 items are still available.

While some items, such as the Bombé oversized sunglasses, have been restocked, there’s no further information on whether the other sold-out items will be restocked, as the brand has consciously chosen to have limited-edition stocks by following the path of slow fashion.

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Why does the Phoebe Philo brand matter?

Returning after a six-year hiatus, Philo is a formidable force in the fashion industry. Her tenures at Chloé from 1997 to 2006 and at Celine from 2008 to 2017 defined the fashion trends of the day, and the term “old Celine” came to be coined to refer to her distinctive style of minimalistic yet elegant clothing. Her influence can still be felt on the runways today, with Philo having mentored many of the current creative directors at major brands, such as the recently appointed Chemena Kamali at Chloé.

What sets the Phoebe Philo brand apart from other fashion houses?

Philo’s approach to design elevates timeless silhouettes by merging quality tailoring with the perfect amount of slouch. Her style has fed into the quiet luxury aesthetic since the late ‘90s, and with the sharp rise in popularity of the style this year, Philo couldn’t have unveiled her brand at a better time.

Moreover, her low-key announcement of the brand’s launch via a social media post, followed by a straight-to-market approach—as opposed to hosting a fashion show and building hype—has intrigued fans and many are waiting for announcements of future drops.

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