Phoebe Philo Is Leaving Céline
The designer is said to be stepping down after 10 years with the fashion house
Photo: Getty
phoebe philo celine
Phoebe Philo is exiting Céline after 10 years with the French brand, according to WWD. The Spring 2018 collection, debuting in March, will be her last, a source with with knowledge of the matter told the site.
Philo will also not work for another designer "in the near future" and her successor is expected to be announced "in the coming months." In the meantime, the Céline team will design collections and adhere to "the craftsmanship the house is renowned for," the source added. The brand has not yet publicly confirmed her departure.
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Phoebe Philo at the 2011 CFDA Fashion Awards. Photo: Getty
phoebe philo celine
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WWD obtained a statement Philo sent to her team, which included a grateful parting message.
"Working with Céline has been an exceptional experience for me these last 10 years," it reads. "I am grateful to have worked with an incredibly talented and committed team and I would like to thank everyone along the way who has been part of the collaborations and conversations… it’s been amazing."
LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault praised the designer "for having contributed to the great momentum of this Maison" and added that "a new era of development for Céline will now start," according to WWD.
Philo's exit has been rumoured for months now. In October, Business of Fashion reported that the designer was parting ways with the brand and that "interviews have been going on for a few months" to find a replacement. However, at the time, LVMH "categorically [denied] any imminent departure of Phoebe Philo from Céline."
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Céline’s Spring 2018 collection. Photo: Getty
phoebe philo celine
Philo joined Céline in 2008, after a successful tenure at Chloé as creative director, which she inherited from Karl Lagerfeld in 1997, BoF reports. She most recently showed her Spring 2018 collection at Paris Fashion Week in early October, featuring a "playful" but "elevated" range of suits, capes, printed dresses, and more.
This article originally appeared on Harper's BAZAAR US