Phoebe Philo confirms September launch date for debut collection

When Phoebe Philo announced she would return to the fashion industry with a brand under her own name, and financed by LVMH, she already had a three and a half year hiatus. This was July, 2021.

That hiatus will have been extended to five years, as Ms Philo on Thursday confirmed the brand’s first collection would be available to purchase from its website, phoebephilo.com, from September 2023.

In the company's first ever Instagram post, the studio said: “Our inaugural collection will be revealed and available on our website, in September 2023. We will be opening for registration in July 2023 and look forward to being back in touch then.”

Further announcements expected in July

With no decoding necessary, the message means it will be another five months before any further launch details will be released. “I’ve started saving as of a few minutes ago,” commented one user. “We are ready,” wrote Instagram’s fashion director, Eva Chen.

Ms Philo, previously creative director at Chloe and Celine, is heralded for revolutionising womenswear from a female perspective, with her collections rooted in designing wearable wardrobes of exceptional quality and infused with a contemporary edge. Her clothes were unfussy, utilitarian yet always feminine. Mr Philo leaned to relevance and longevity over trend, something her loyal customers will expect from her new studio and label.

In July 2021, Ms Philo said being in creative control over her own brand was crucial: “to be independent, to govern and experiment on my own terms is hugely significant to me.”

With the backing of LVMH, Ms Philo’s label is not likely to end up in the portfolio of a competitor, amplifying LVMH’s strategy to diversity its brands, and also remain the dominant player in the luxury market. Even if its stake in Phoebe Philo Studios will not earn the luxury group any serious dividends when compared to its billion euro heritage brands, having a talent like Ms Philo in the portfolio is an unquantifiable asset.