Together with the Bramble marketplace, we have prepared for you the history of the famous French luxury brand ¬Celine. In this publication, we will not go to the origins of brand creation, but consider only the modern period of development.

Celine fashion house was founded in 1945 by Celine Vipiana and initially specialized in children's shoes, but then the brand quickly switched to ready-to-wear clothes. Almost 60 years later, Celine was acquired by LVMH. After a period when Michael Kors and several other designers were at the helm of the brand, the incomparable Phoebe Philo took over as Creative Director.



In 2018, Edi Slimane, who previously worked at YSL, took over and replaced Phoebe Philo as creative director of the entire brand. We decided to understand how Phoebe Philo changed the classic, elegant and familiar images with new, modern and bold solutions.

Creative workshop

Like many of her contemporaries, Phoebe Philo studied "craft" at the famous London school - the Central College of Art and Design named after St. Martin. Here she met Stella McCartney, whose friendship helped Phoebe Philo determine her future career path.

After her graduation in 1996, she joined Stella at Chloe in Paris, where they were given the opportunity and freedom to express themselves and their ideas. In 2001, it became clear that Phoebe was the "natural" replacement for Stella as Chloe's chief creative officer.

Almost unfamiliar to the general public and the industry, she began the journey of creating her own corporate identity, which was to make her famous. The romantic and airy style of Chloe is significantly different from what Phoebe Philo is famous for today, but the freedom of movement and subtle masculine elements of her collections even then made it clear the style to which she was going, and which she used in the Celine collections.

In 2006, the famous designer returned to London to focus on her family ... until Bernard Arnault, CEO of LVMH, offered her the role of creative director at Celine, who were in search of a unique style and personality.

Celine transformation

From the moment she showed her first collection, it became clear that this is it - something that has been lacking in fashion shows since the 2000s. Phoebe Philo's design was simple and practical, Celine's reworked looks conveyed strength, not femininity, independence versus glamor.

The effect she had on fashion in the 2010s has influenced women around the world. Phoebe Philo's style was finally fixed: not too classic, not extravagant, but comfortable and elegant, freedom in design and choice of materials. The famous designer, who very rarely gives interviews, said that first of all she creates images, thinking about the woman's feed: in everyday life, at work.

She wanted women to feel confident, comfortable, and meaningful. Her approach worked great: she tripled Celine's profits and became one of the most successful and recognized designers in the world.

The power of accessories

Phoebe Philo has developed a line of accessories that immediately won the hearts of millions and has served as an inspiration for many modern designers. Unique design and superior quality were at the heart of every bag - women around the world were on the hunt for new items, and other brands tried to copy.

Practical, with perfect proportions and architectural details, the designs of the Trio, Classic, Phantom and Trapeze bags quickly made these bags iconic best sellers in all colors and leathers.

Phoebe Philo is definitely an iconic designer who has made a significant impact on contemporary fashion and young designers.

Head over to Bramble and see our selection of Celine.