Douglas Chen » Celine

CELINE – Phoebe Philo knocks on wood

Douglas — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 07:52:09 +0000

Phoebe Philo sends out another ace of a fall collection for CELINE at the Tennis Club de Paris this Sunday afternoon way out at the edges of the 16eme.

photos : dchen

Phoebe’s vision is clear and commanding. She continues with her new minimalism but the only way to convey it is simply that she does it in the most maximal way. No holding back on the luxury factor. She piles it on but in not in your face. The color palette was wood inspired and the orange and bordeaux color highlights elevated the mood. Leathers and furs were used in unique new ways. Especially loved the color block fur coat. Phoebe Philo is again at the front of the Paris pack with this outstanding collection.

runway photos : Monica Feudi

Art in Fashion – Celine

Douglas — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 14:08:03 +0000

Dial back a bit to last season, during the s.s 2010 presentations in October 2009, it seems Dan Flavin’s influence was already taking root in the space that Phoebe Philo had chosen to present her debut collection at Celine. After her enormous return to the fashion front of a show last season ( see posting of 7 October 2009 ), the team at Celine had chosen to hold their showroom appointments outside of their corporate headquarters in Paris. They opted on a beautiful, immense apartment in the 16th arrondissement on Avenue Foch. This private domicile, which was larger than many houses, was on the market for sale. A small rent check later it soon became the terrific location scout’s find for the temporary showroom for Celine. This opulent residence has never seen a fluorescent light, I can assure you, as there were chandeliers everywhere. The person who worked along side Ms. Philo to execute the decor worked their magic to add an artistic, contemporary element to the very grandiose, bourgeois, traditional decor. The correlation to the spring collection could not be any clearer. Happen-stance or someone really thought this one up? My money is on the latter. These are real thinkers here. Phoebe Philo and her team are here to leave their mark.

Within the s.s 2010 collection that was crowned as the new modernist collection, the looks were predominantly all solid in shades of nudes, beiges, whites, blacks and a strong blue….. save one single look that was a pattern of mixed stripes… positive and negative… once again. The stripes and the light installations? GENIUS…as I see it.

all photographs – DChen

CELINE – Phoebe Philo’s triumph

Douglas — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:05:19 +0000

Phoebe Philo proved once again that she has staying power. After all the accolades she received for her debut S.S 2010 show last season… what could she conjure up to equal if not top her last collection? Not a worry on her part. She stuck to the “Less is More” aesthetic she began with for Spring and marched forward and produced a tremendously strong Fall collection. Ms. Philo has mastered the art of purity but interpreting it in her own way. There were names tossed about after the show… Jil Sander, Helmut Lang… as they were two huge influences throughout Paris fashion week. Influenced… yes, but Ms. Philo has her own signature she is tagging the world with. Pure in it’s foundation but there’s a strength and an essence of luxe that beacons from deep within the fabrics and details of the clothes. The collection reeks of confidence. Less and simple are such small words…. but when those words can be followed by the words sexy, powerful and hyper-chic… they become stronger than any of the adjectives so often used in fashion vocabulary that have a connotation of frivolity. This is serious dressing at its best. The color palette was based on navy, army green, ivory and a bit of black. The clothes were covered up for the most part, save a leg baring slit here and there, but they still managed to exude a sexiness that was very potent but at the same time measured and calculated. It didn’t happen by chance. Just enough…. a collection filled with strong coats, the must have skirts and the right dresses. The flourishes were achieved with a touch of leather and a metallic heel on the shoes. Such restraint…. but breathtaking at the same time.

all photos DChen

All in all… the spotlight has found a new favorite to follow in Paris.

PARIS – Celine

Douglas — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:38:00 +0000

Phoebe Philo’s return to the runway was probably one of the MOST anticipated this season in Paris. In fact… people have been waiting almost a good year since news of her signing on as the designer/creative director of this French fashion house that was created in the 1940’s but who’s ready-to-wear came into existence in the 60’s. Celine is currently owned by LVMH. Ms. Philo’s was last seen at the helm of Chloe during it’s enormous period of success but exited approximately 4 years ago to focus on her family life.

Phoebe Philo presented a collection that was confident, intelligent and the word utilitarian was thrown around quite a bit. She chose to say it like it is…. not just clothes that women will dream about, but actually want to wear. Hence the term “utility chic”, but there was nothing mundane about the collection… it was sportswear in the strongest sense, put together with sophisticated ease ….. simple in its lines but owning a very clear presence.

all photos – DChen

The collection was a study of beige, white, nude and black with the smallest shot of an off-blue. Brief leather dresses, tops and skirts added voltage in a eye pleasing way to the welcome calm of her collection. The silhouettes were spare but delivered a vision that was so much stronger than all the ruffles and volume and prints everywhere else. Ms. Philo chose to insert one single look in a mixed stripe print. This punctuated the level of thought that went into her debut collection for this label.

Phoebe Philo’s message clearly stood apart from much of what has been taking place here in Paris. I guarantee you that it will be the most praised and Celine will be at the top of every retailer’s, as well as, editor’s list for the what’s hot and must have next spring. She has managed to make a mark in both worlds, cause a splash without overfilling the bowl. It left you wanting MORE …