Phoebe Philo unveiled the first pieces of her new collection on the brand’s e-commerce site on Monday. The British designer, whose collections stood for ‘quiet luxury’ long before it became a buzzword, first announced the launch of her eponymous label in July 2021. Last month, the first images of the campaign and the date for the launch of the online shop were revealed to subscribers in a newsletter.
With support from LVMH, Phoebe Philo presents her first collection since her departure from Celine six years ago in the form of a capsule wardrobe that includes ready-to-wear and accessories. The brand’s offering consists of a limited, seasonal offering that focuses on quality materials and craftsmanship, as well as designs that remain relevant over time.
Just a few hours after the launch, a large part of the collection was sold out, with some products available for pre-order and others only being available as part of the next product launch. A new version of the popular handbag introduced by Philo at Celine is now called Caban and is available in leather and suede. The XL version is available for 6,800 euros.
Elsewhere, Philo’s unique signature can be seen in the carefully curated collection, which showcases her talent for designing an everyday wardrobe for modern women that is both sophisticated and practical. But the 150-piece collection also points to a brutalist style. However, humor is not neglected either, as a necklace and a bracelet form the word ‘Mum’.
The starting prices for items such as sunglasses and jewelry start at 450 euros. A hand-tufted viscose coat is probably the most expensive piece in the collection. The price has not been announced and a link leads to contacting customer service.
Philo focuses on e-commerce
At Celine, Philo was famously a late adopter of e-commerce, focusing on the brand’s own retail and wholesale channels. Philo has relied heavily on direct-to-consumer technology for her eponymous brand, and despite LVMH’s investment, there are currently no physical stores or wholesale customers.
The company will have lower operating costs without a network of boutiques, and profit margins on luxury goods tend to be high when sold directly to consumers. Shipping is currently limited to the UK, USA and European markets.
The website design is simple and minimalistic, with a black background. The products are presented in a grid of three and only photographed in models. There are no product images of any garments except for accessories or a sleeve detail. On the desktop version, an “add to cart” button floats above the product, a design feature also introduced on the new Gucci website. This feature allows multiple images to be displayed without the descriptions taking up half the screen.
Two more collections are expected by the end of the year, although the brand has not announced exact dates for their releases.