The minimalism on New York s runways suggested that Phoebe Philo s debut for Celine last season may well prove to be as influential as all of her collections at Chloé were. Jaeger London s show didn t so much suggest this as shout its adoration for Philo from its pared-down catwalk.
And frankly, so what? There s a reason everyone has looked to Philo s work at Celine: because it s really good. And since when did anyone turn to Jaeger London for cutting-edge originality, anyway? The label is supposed to stand for female-friendly, practical, Anglo-centric cool clothes. Take out the word "clothes" and you have a description of Philo herself, so kudos to the brand for at least being smart enough to know who to look at.
And there were some lovely clothes here. There was a sharp skirtsuit with a neatly cut jacket, trimmed at all the seams with leather piping, and a gorgeous midnight blue velvet dress (OK, that one said Lanvin more than Celine). The flat ankle boots were particularly great, looking like the product of a union between an Ugg and a Vivienne Westwood pirate number (honestly, the result was a lot better than the oddly matched parentage would suggest). And there were appealing bags decked with chunky gold chains. Yes, they did look a little Marc Jacobs Stam bag-ish, since you ask, but that gold chain still looks good after all these years. London may famously—or notoriously—value originality over all, but sometimes playing it safe is a really good look.
