Phoebe Philo Is Leaving French Fashion Label Céline
In a year full of stunning departures, fashion’s musical chairs continue as British designer Phoebe Philo is set to exit Céline, after a 10-year creative tenure. The brand’s upcoming Fall 2018 ready-to-wear collection, at Paris Fashion Week, will be the designer’s last.
French fashion house Céline’s creative director, Phoebe Philo, is leaving her position after 10 years, confirming months of speculation. The designer is credited with turning around the fortunes of the brand, which was founded in 1945 and acquired by conglomerate LVMH – which also owns Louis Vuitton, Dior, Givenchy, and Loewe – in 1996. According to The New York Times, the brand’s annual revenue under Philo’s tenure was estimated at 700 to 800 million euros in 2016. The designer remade Céline as the label for unfussy, minimally chic, professional women. During her tenure, Céline has had not one, but many hit bags – successes from the much-copied Luggage tote to the multi-pocket Trio to the oversize Cabas.
Prior to reinvigorating Céline, Philo graduated from Central Saint Martins in 1996 and worked at Chloé from 1997 to 2006, assuming the role of creative director in 2001 when Stella McCartney left to start her own label. The designer’s efforts tripled the brand’s profits and won her several prestigious awards, including British Designer of the Year at the British fashion awards in 2010 and the International Award at the CFDA Fashion Awards. In a statement released by the label, Pheobe Philo said that working with Céline “has been an exceptional experience”. She added, “I am grateful to have worked with an incredibly talented and committed team and I would like to thank everyone along the way who has been part of the collaborations and conversations… it has been amazing.” Adding on to that, Bernard Arnault, chairman and CEO of LVMH said, “What Phoebe has accomplished over the past 10 years represents a key chapter in the history of Céline and we are very grateful to Phoebe for having contributed to the great momentum of this maison. A new era of development for Céline will now start and I am extremely confident in the future success of this iconic maison.”
All images are courtesy: IMAXTREE