Phoebe Philo – the woman credited with transforming the fortunes of once floundering fashion house Celine – may now be leaving the brand after 10 years.
Despite denials from LVMH, the conglomerate that owns Celine, anonymous sources have claimed that interviews are already taking place to find a replacement for the exiting designer. Potential front-runners include current Celine employee Michael Rider, as well as Victoria Beckham’s design director Ilaria Icardi.
Philo joined the luxury fashion house in 2008, after previously honing her pared back aesthetic at Central Saint Martins before working under Stella McCartney’s tutelage at Chloe. She took a break from fashion for a few years in 2006 to concentrate on raising her young family following her second pregnancy before joining Celine in 2008. Her reign at the brand has outstripped many of her contemporaries at other fashion houses, which have seen tumultuous changes over the past few years.
Since she took the helm at Celine she has been lauded for creating clothing that women really want to wear, from streamlined silhouettes to chic separates, and has been responsible for designing best-selling It bags that have raised the brand’s profile even further. It’s currently a favourite with the street style set, as well as A-listers including Rihanna, Reese Witherspoon and Miranda Kerr.
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