Stillness and Comfort. Céline AW16

March 12, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

Fashion is in hurry, and nobody knows where is it heading to. But Phoebe Philo, just like a few other designers, says “no” to see-it-now, buy-it-now trend, which has stormed such brands like Proenza Schouler or Paco Rabanne. The autumn-winter collection from Céline has a message – calm down. Appreciate the quality, the time. The way these clothes fit on your body. “I came about it through wearing it,” she said. “It’s always that.” This time, the designer who understands women’s daily needs best, focused on her all-time favourites, from over-sized pants and voluminous tunics to suede vests and seasonless coats. Satin gave the dresses a flowing, fluid-like texture, and the fleecy, black “bubble” tops with an armhole had this sophisticated, yet effortless mood about them. The soft, pillow bags looked dreamy, and they will definitely have room for everything needed, and unneeded.. Strangely, though, this collection doesn’t look like a winter one (except the caramel shearling coats and tweed mini-dresses) – there were classical sandals on bare feet, and a lot of subtle flesh exposing. However, on the other side of the globe we’ve got summer, always. And Céline is an internationally wide-spread brand.

The collection, in fact, is full of clothes which can be worn without much consideration or (again a cliché) effort. They are the house’s strengths, and a woman who adores Céline and Philo’s touch will surely have her wardrobe completed with these everyday basics. “It’s a busy world, and I find I have this idea of stillness with Céline”.

#2015 – Phoebe Philo

December 27, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

The Designers of 2015 list is topped by Phoebe Philo, of course. The woman who designs for women. The designer, who makes Celine most coveted season-to-season. Although she is praised for reviving minimalism, her fashion dictionary for 2015 is supplied with all – femininity, sensuality, travel, eclecticism and colour.

Pre-Fall’15 – Pre-fall at Celine usually means a selection of classical, yet sophisticated clothes kept in toned colours – this year, however, Phoebe had a playful moment, pushing her austere comfort zones. Hand-embroidered folklore caftans, fringed ponchos and over-sized, burgundy culottes are just few of mentioned must-haves, which make most of Parisian women drool. There was also this chic slip-dress action – worn in a very Celine-ish way, it felt light and slightly infantile, but in a good way.

AW15 – Phoebe Philo precisely described her woman for fall. “I just want to be a woman“. A woman with ups and downs, which one day is the queen of the world in a bicolor satin dresses and the second day a sophisticated poet or artist in existential, black turtleneck. She wants to be seductive or ooze with charm. But she’s more than attractive – she’s confident, open-minded, smart and knows what’s worth for her. “The best part of this job is finding out more about myself,” Philo said after the show. “It gets deeper and deeper into the roots.” And where those roots went deep today was into a new sense of playfulness. Big, fluffy pom-pons? Otters, foxes and deer as naive animal prints? Duvet coats? “Dressed-up-ness,” Philo called it. “I was never in the head space to approach it before. I find glamour and sexuality awkward. When do they feel authentic? What’s real, what’s not?” Big, rhetorical questions. And Philo addressed them with a collection that, by her own opinion, was a little Latin American. “The blood is hotter,” she said. “The approach is more dramatic.” Of course, Phoebe understands that not every lady feels like going for intense colours. “That’s why there were other times when it was more gritty, more Northern soul, less passionate.”

Resort’16 – It’s a kind of fashion tradition, that we see Celine‘s pre-collection just few weeks before they hit the stores. When Phoebe Philo introduced this rule, the fashion system shifted. No wonder why – when we see the pre-collections six months before they are really available, there is a kind of deja vu feeling later on. There is a lack of excitement. When Philo drops her pre-collection, there is this surprise effect that certainly moves the brand’s customers when they walk into the stores. The resort 2016 is a true pleasure, both for the eye and the desire sense. The collection is a modern version of a French wardrobe – here, you will surely find a striped shirt, high-waisted pants and a raffia tote from the Basque summer adventures. Also, the wardrobe contains an essence of minimal, French glamour, which was strong in the 60’s & 70’s Paris – take the green, Pierre Cardin-like vest or Yves Saint Laurent safari trench-coat, revisited with some arty patterns. There is the feeling of a “woman who travels” in this collection, too – the Babouche slippers convey the oriental mood and the eclectic jewellery brought from Milan’s most edgy flea-markets and antiquaries.

SS16 – These dresses and coats are what women want today. And the perfect balance between masculine chic and sensual lace makes this collection an updated check-list of what a contemporary woman should have in her wardrobe. “It’s about taking her out of urban life and putting her feet on the sand. It’s where I long to be, more and more.” Although the orange-yellow-blue coloured tent foreshadowed a very bold collection, the designer delivered a discreet, but powerful outing – and, as usually under a tent, we really had sand instead of a tile or a carpet. Which felt so hearty and down-to-earth. Just like the clothes. “I am somebody who is interested in how clothes make us feel,” she said, “and in how we behave in different places. I thought, If you were traveling for a year, what would you need to take with you?” Well, the answer is – the basics. Both, a breezy and warm dress; a light-weight coat; something more intimate and something more built-up. Just like the shoes. My initial reaction to the boots was reserved, however after a moment of reflection I thought it’s a smart move. It depends where you are heading this summer – mountains? Why not. This collection is a spectrum of variations – really, every outfit, in its own way, is good for a specific occasion, creating a beautiful combination of daily essentials. And Phoebe Philo knows, what’s essential. We trust her.

Surely, 2016’s Celine will nail it every single time.

Parisian Update. Celine Resort’16

October 24, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

It’s a kind of fashion tradition, that we see Celine‘s pre-collection just few weeks before they hit the stores. When Phoebe Philo introduced this rule, the fashion system shifted. No wonder why – when we see the pre-collections six months before they are really available, there is a kind of deja vu feeling later on. There is a lack of excitement. When Philo drops her pre-collection, there is this surprise effect that certainly moves the brand’s customers when they walk into the stores. The resort 2016 is a true pleasure, both for the eye and the desire sense. The collection is a modern version of a French wardrobe – here, you will surely find a striped shirt, high-waisted pants and a raffia tote from the Basque summer adventures. Also, the wardrobe contains an essence of minimal, French glamour, which was strong in the 60’s & 70’s Paris – take the green, Pierre Cardin-like vest or Yves Saint Laurent safari trench-coat, revisited with some arty patterns. There is the feeling of a “woman who travels” in this collection, too – the Babouche slippers convey the oriental mood and the eclectic jewellery brought from Milan’s most edgy flea-markets and antiquaries. In brief, Phoebe wins my heart, as usual. Is this something new?

Woman to Women. Celine SS16

October 10, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Even though I am quite exhausted with the fashion month, looking at the newest colellection by Phoebe Philo for Celine gives me energy. As I mentioned hundreds times before, Phoebe Philo is a woman who designs for woman – and this makes her collections always feel the most desirable from the brand’s client point of view. These dresses and coats are what women want today. And the perfect balance between masculine chic and sensual lace makes this collection an updated check-list of what a contemporary woman should have in her wardrobe.

“It’s about taking her out of urban life and putting her feet on the sand. It’s where I long to be, more and more.” Although the orange-yellow-blue coloured tent foreshadowed a very bold collection, the designer delivered a discreet, but powerful outing – and, as usually under a tent, we really had sand instead of a tile or a carpet. Which felt so hearty and down-to-earth. Just like the clothes. “I am somebody who is interested in how clothes make us feel,” she said, “and in how we behave in different places. I thought, If you were traveling for a year, what would you need to take with you?” Well, the answer is – the basics. Both, a breezy and warm dress; a light-weight coat; something more intimate and something more built-up.

Just like the shoes. My initial reaction to the boots was reserved, however after a moment of reflection I thought it’s a smart move. It depends where you are heading this summer – mountains? Why not. This collection is a spectrum of variations – really, every outfit, in its own way, is good for a specific occasion, creating a beautiful combination of daily essentials. And Phoebe Philo knows, what’s essential. We trust her.

No Me Llores Mas

July 22, 2015July 19, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Celine AW15

After Phoebe Philo, the creative director of Celine mused about her inspirations behind AW15 collection, one thing became a statement – latinos are in fashion. And Philo addressed them with a collection that, by her own way, was a very Latin American. “The blood is hotter,” she said. “The approach is more dramatic.” The warm colours, frivolous dresses (they are perfect for dancing) and the new feminine attitude were certainly helped by Brazilian musician Caetano Veloso whose tune was on the soundtrack, and the venue that had the flavor of Argentinian streets, with wood-grain pillars and terra-cotta tiles. And the trend continues. Resort 2016 is on, and three major New York-based labels trigger their collections in a steamy-hot atmosphere: Proenza Schouler‘s designers, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, present a suntanned presentation of shoulder exposing dresses which appeared in Proenza boys heads when they had their vacations in Cuba; Altuzarra is all about Panama and the country’s traditional beading techniques; Rachel Comey brings on the noise of Kingston, Jamaica, with her vibrant look-book in which the models dance in her clothes. To make you feel the vibe of Latin America in even more effective way, here is the Vogue Italia editorial from 1989 starring Linda Evangelista, shot in Cuba. Caliente!