Today’s newsletter feels like it’s been brewing for a while, simmering away like that Aperol spritz that you left in the sun just a little too long. And so here we finally are, touching on a topic that’s close to my heart (and wardrobe) - The Philo Phenomenon. I’ve been a long-time, self-proclaimed Philophile and still have a few of her treasured old Céline pieces that I can simply never let go of. However recently it seems like our love (mine and Philo’s that is) has been rekindled in a major way, and I don’t seem to be the only one who is feeling these feelings.
To be honest It’s been a slow burn kind of rekindling, the kind that takes it’s time. First came those sunglasses that launched a thousand online orders (all the most stylish women seem to own them now), then drop after drop and campaign after campaign trickled out, then crept out the dressings - Chloe rocking the new Philo and then came Saoirse in a stunning old Céline ensemble. all the while my infatuation grew stronger and stronger. All building up to a penultimate moment which happened when I laid eyes on the most perfectly, stunning white dress about a month ago (which I ranted about here), then came the most recent D Preview that had me in tears of joy - it is currently my personal moodboard for 2026.
Next thing I know I’m pulling out my old Céline baroque pearl earrings and lovingly caressing them whilst planning outfits around them. Then to top it all off, whilst vintage shopping with my chic friend Stephanie in Amsterdam, she tried on the most exquisite silk creme old Céline blouse, unmistakably Philo and in that moment when I saw her wearing it so effortlessly, something clicked in my head: It’s not just me - Phoebe Philo is having a resurgence.
Yes, I know, she has been “back” for a while. But the way her namesake label has been gaining momentum lately feels different, it feels more confident and more Philo that ever. In my opinion the collections and campaigns have gradually become stronger and stronger. And all the cool women, you know the ones you stop to clock across a café, well they are wearing her again. Sometimes it’s brand‑new Philo, sometimes it’s vintage old Céline. Sometimes it’s even both at the same time, demonstrated to perfection by Brenda Weischer.
Watching this beautiful blend of old and new has had me reflecting on the journey Philo’s aesthetic has taken - from her groundbreaking work at Chloé, through the iconic Old Céline era and now into the exciting new chapters of her eponymous label that feels like it’s truly having a moment. I thought it would be fun to take a little walk down memory lane, revisiting some of my favourite pieces, collections and campaigns from those unforgettable eras.
Philo joined Chloé in 1997 and became Creative Director in 2001, transforming the brand through her vision of easy, feel‑good design, think babydoll dresses paired with heavy leather accessories like the now legendary Paddington bag. Here’s three of my all time favourite looks from her tenure at Chloé, the iconic banana print on Darja, a crisp, bohemian white tunic dress on Freja and that legendary blue dress on Gemma.
If Chloé was Philo’s training ground, Céline was her empire. From 2008 to 2017, she built a vision of modern luxury that wasn’t just only about clothes, but a way of living. Philo created a universe where women could be powerful, sensual, off‑duty, intellectual and irreverent, all at once. The no nonsense authority of a clean line, the weight of a perfectly tailored pant, the playful jingle of an oversized earring.
And don’t get me started on the campaigns which were almost as influential as the runway shows themselves. Her long‑running collaboration with Juergen Teller defined the Céline visual language: raw, un‑retouched images that feel like they could have been pulled from your own camera roll, except with infinitely better lighting (and Daria Werbowy, of course).
Amidst a career of countless mesmerizing collections, there is one heroine that stands out for me above all others: Spring/Summer 2017 - I mean… the colours, the layering, the accessories !!! That pink dress that I’d happily auction off a vital organ for. I remember streaming the show live and being knocked for six, this collection literally knocked the living daylights out of me and then nurtured me back to life. It felt like Philo was reminding us, one last time before her (soon to be) departure, what sophisticated, fun and modern dressing could really mean *sigh*.
For me Philo’s clothes have always been about empowering grown-up women, not about show‑off fashion, not about performative dressing but about real, intellectual clothes that also brought joy, in the words of Sarah Mower “fashion as it’s really lived”. I guess that’s the reason why her work doesn’t really have an expiry date.
You could quite easily out pull something from one of her marvellous collections and it would look just as on point today as it did the day it walked down the runway. Here’s four favourites from my own personal Old Céline archive (L to R: Pre-Fall 2018 Baroque Pearl Earrings, Twisted Cabas Tote Bag Tricolor Blue Black, 2017 Soft V Neck Leather Heels and my first ever designer handbag investment The Trio Bag.
Looking back now, those Céline years really do feel like magic, like a fresh breeze that sweeps through the smog that is today’s fashion trenches. The Teller/Werbowy campaigns, and don’t even get me started on that Joan Didion campaign. Her collections balanced minimalism with emotion and spawned the kind of cult accessories that fuelled insatiable waiting lists. It really was a golden decade of fashion that shaped how women dress today. And for many of us, that love affair never really ended. In the great fashion carousel, she’s the horse everyone still wants to ride.
So yes, this turned out to be a rather ranty and unapologetic love letter to Phoebe Philo (sorry, not sorry). Whether it’s a banana‑print tee from Chloé, one of her beloved Céline leather bags, or the soft pumps from her latest namesake collection, I feel that one thing is for certain in our current turbulent and uncertain world: Philo will always be fresh.
Alice <3