Phoebe Philo s influence extends from the highest echelons of style—is there an editor in the front row who hasn t bought Celine s structured two-handle tote?—all the way to the high street. (At the fast-fashion stores in New York and London, her brand of minimalism rules.) Backstage, she insisted that she hasn t noticed—"Don t have time to shop," she said. Still, if what she did on her runway today wasn t an intentional rebuff to her copy artists, she s just made their jobs a whole lot more difficult.
How? By embracing the artisanal. You saw glimpses of that in her Resort collection, which featured a great big blanket poncho worn over an evening dress. For Spring, it came across most strongly in two items: a vest and a coat, both beautifully handwoven in silk, apparently by a Frenchwoman who s been doing such things for decades. Other examples of Philo s new back-to-fabrics mentality: quilting, raw canvas and denim, even the long fringe on scarves. Prints are another area of interest the designer began exploring in the pre-collection. The geometric designs—riffs on vintage foulards—had a graphic sportiness that played counterpoint to the craft.
But don t be fooled, there was plenty of that already-signature Celine sparseness—a feeling that was heightened by the predominance of white, ivory, and other pale shades. Still, Philo has loosened things up a bit. Pants are long and more flowy, with deep hems. And with the exception of a super blazer-cape hybrid, she s mostly rejected tailored jackets in favor of tunics, popover tops, and even a Baja jacket. "It s about freedom, getting away," she said of the show s relaxed, summery mood. A (just slightly) below-the-knee shift with plunging V s in front and back and a streamlined racerback all-in-one were as dressed-up as it got for evening.
There will be some who miss the urbanity of Philo s first two collections, but this show qualifies as a well-considered success in its own right. It at once expanded the world of Celine (all the way to the rock festival) and confirmed Philo s mastery of the codes of her hugely influential brand.
