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.
