Fashion In Focus: Phoebe Speaks.
20 lessons learned from Phoebe Philo’s exclusive NY Times interview.
Philo fans unite as the NY Times unveils an exclusive interview with the “Chanel of her Generation.” Enter designer Phoebe Philo, ex Creative Director of Celine and Chloe, now owner of Phoebe Philo, the brand.
What we learned:
Ms. Philo, (as she should), is only referred to as MS. PHILO.
The HQ is in Ladbroke Grove, London.
The interviewer articulately details Ms. Philo’s eloquent responses, calming presence and describes her as more of an etherial woman of wisdom, than designer.
After a seven year hiatus, fashion fans rejoiced as Ms. Philo’s return to fashion with the launch of her eponymous brand, desired by fashion critics and insiders.
The entire first collection was sold out within hours. She responds to complaints by customers on price, returns and customer service. Having ironed the proverbial kinks in the superior fabric, advice will be heeded when dropping the second collection..
Ms. Philo has no personal social media presence and keeps her personal life extremely private.
When it comes to conversations with friends and employees, fashion talk is out, thought-provoking talk is in,
She likes to please her fans but rest assure, always expect the unexpected.
She believes that “it takes time and effort to make most things have meaning. One has to stand for something.”
Her work is reactive. She explains “it’s very intuitive”, “A response to what I see around me, how I see women dressing, how I feel myself, my relationships with clothes.”
Philo speaks as though her clothes have a heartbeat, that she designs "clothes for a woman that doesn’t want to be sexualised, but they don’t deny her sexuality.”
Her brand is season-less.
Her explanation on deliveries, edits and low inventory level, was to understand the needs of her customers wants. Not to create the FOMO experience.
LVMH has a minority stake in the brand, majority owned by Phoebe and her husband.
She is sentimental with the pieces she keeps in her wardrobe, “one of her favourite pairs of trousers is a pair of Chloé trousers I made. They’re important to me, these pieces. I don’t want to get rid of them.”
Phoebe is humanised as Friedman touches on her family life, offering that she does have her children’s support. But suggests that they are “not fans at all”.
After Ms. Philo left her design post at Celine, the fashion world went into mourning.
Her happiness lies in “baking, galleries, riding, clubbing, her family, her friends.”
Physical Phoebe Philo stores in New York and London are not far off, and if we’re lucky, a runway show.
The article ends with heartwarming and humble advice by Ms Philo herself, as she recounts a beautiful reminder that every large fashion house began with just one human — and one idea.
Phoebe Philo the brand is now available online at www.phoebephilo.com.
NY Times Interview by Vanessa Friedman can be found here.
