Phoebe Philo’s Soft, Sculptural Collection Is Made for Women on the Move
Those Philo-philes are certainly a patient bunch, waiting weeks after show season has ended for their fashion fix. But for Phoebe Philo’s devotees, the clothes, shoes, jewelry and bags are always worth the wait, and this season is no different.
The autumnal “collection C” was presented as a look book and virtual showroom walk-through in London. While that’s never an ideal way to see the clothes, this lineup was easy-to-read and brimming with the intricately detailed luxe pieces and signature shapes for which the designer is known.
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Working like a sculptor, Philo used rich materials and clever underpinnings to create oversize, cocooning shapes, from the softly rounded shoulders of an oversize tuxedo jacket and a double-breasted “man’s coat,” to the long jersey skirts with little Neoprene petticoats underneath.
Trousers were sculptural — and convertible. Oversize and pooling around loafers, slides and high-heeled mules with squared-off fronts, they came with zips at the back to narrow them down. Cargo pants had zippered panels, while tuxedo trousers were split at the bottom to reveal leather slides in contrasting colors.
The designer paid just as much attention to her surfaces, color and texture. This season, the signature robe coat came as a tri-color patchwork of tobacco, vanilla and black shearling, while a ginger shearling bomber and matching “Gig” bag teddy bear appealed.
Long jersey dresses swung from the hippie to the arty, with tie-dyed, sweatshirt-like tops, or others covered in a thick ivory sequin crust. All that color and texture spilled onto accessories, such as a tapestry shag pile shopper in green and black, and chunky cream earrings that were tubular and twisted like coral.
Footwear deserves a special mention as Philo, a mother of three, is one designer familiar with the manic cycle of a working woman’s day.
She paired most of those wide-legged trousers with mannish shoes, and even came up with a new style, the cozy and flat suede “bumper bootie” for driving, dog walking or dashing around town. She even teamed those bumpers with long jersey dresses for a full day-to-night (and back again) look.
There were tall heels, too; knee-high leather boots, and open-toed mules with square fronts to add some sex appeal and sharpen up all of those oversize silhouettes.
The collection will be delivered from mid-year through November exclusively online at phoebephilo.com, and at dedicated shops-in-shop at Galeries Lafayette Haussmann Paris, Dover Street Market London, and through select global wholesale partners, according to the brand.
Launch Gallery: Phoebe Philo Collection C Ready-to-Wear
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