For many years, decades and even hundreds, fashion was considered a man thing. And even now, if you take a look at the most famous couturiers, you’ll be surprised how few female positions there are. Only some great women could make their own path through fashion, often sacrificing everything they had, dedicating their whole life to prove that they were worth it. From Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli to Stella McCartney and Phoebe Philo, all these women made a contribution to the fashion we all know and can see today.
Talking about the last, Phoebe Philo, it’s hard to imagine modern fashion without her vision, which she reflected through her work for Chloé in the early 00’s and for Céline later on. Taking the position of a creative director within these brands, she started from scratch while the storied houses were a blank canvas. Sales were at an all-time high and her styles were about as desirable as they could be. What she has mastered is the perfect mix of commercialism and artistic expression.
A very few designers’ influence is so far-reaching that they’ve inspired new vocabulary: ‘Philophiles’, referring to Philo’s committed following, and ‘Céline-ification’, used to refer to the transformative effect of Philo’s work on the entire fashion industry, having spawned countless copycats. Philo is arguably the silent voice of a generation, who has spoken to women’s interests through clothes; she quietly offered something that spoke to shifting sensibilities, ushering in a new sense of ease at home and in the workplace, prioritising character and comfort.
She also spawned a new generation of lauded talent, including Bottega Veneta’s creative director Daniel Lee, who worked under Philo at Céline and designers Peter Do, Rok Hwang, and Ilaria Iccardi, the design director for Victoria Beckham. And after being silent for a few years since her departure from Céline, she’s now returning with her own brand, focused on essential pieces with a eco-slant. But while we wait to see what’s in store from Philo, here’s a look back at her most memorable moments to date:
ROARA Magazine 