Phoebe Philo
NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 29: Phoebe Philo attends the 2014 Time 100 Gala at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 29, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by D Dipasupil/FilmMagic)

It was only in September of last year, in and amongst the hassle of the traffic in Paris, that I turned to my friend and mused, “What ever happened to Phoebe Philo? When is she coming back?” It was Fashion Week in the city and while the Paris-born, London-based designer – best known for her tenures at the French heritage Maisons Celine and Chloé where she created clothes that reduced otherwise sensible women to histrionics – was not only sorely missed on the schedule, but there was a helluva lot of whispers bubbling about the Great Creative Director Movement of 2022.

Five years ago, Philo left the scene to start her eponymous label with backing from LVMH. In June 2021, she announced her brand would launch in January 2022 but that date came and went. So much time had passed, in fact, that rumours began to swirl around arguably the most deified figure in fashion; could she leading Burberry? Is she designing for Loro Piana?

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But Philophiles, rejoice. Overnight the designer announced on her Instagram that her much-awaited  “inaugural collection will be revealed and available on our website, phoebephilo.com, in September 2023.”

“We’ll be opening for registration in July 2023 and look forward to being back in touch then,” the statement continued.

While this is all we have to work off at the moment, the timing of the reveal would imply Philo might be on the fashion calendar this September. However, the wording suggests she may be presenting a see-now-buy-now collection whereby we can shop direct from her new website.

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Phoebe Philo
PARIS, FRANCE: A model presents a creation by British designer Phoebe Philo for Chloe during the Spring-Summer 2005 Ready to Wear collections presentations in Paris 09 October 2004. AFP PHOTO JEAN-PIERRE MULLER (Photo credit should read JEAN-PIERRE MULLER/AFP via Getty Images)
Phoebe Philo
FRANCE – OCTOBER 11: Chloe spring-summer 2004 ready-to-wear collection in Paris, France on October 11, 2003 – Designer Phoebe Philo. (Photo by Pool BASSIGNAC/BUU/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
Phoebe Philo
PARIS – MARCH 6: British designer Phoebe Philo (C) poses with the models at the Chloe Ready-To-Wear Fall-Winter 2004-2005 fashion collection, March 6, 2004 in Paris, France. (Photo by Michel Dufour/WireImage)

Responsible for a 60 percent rise in global sales at Chloe, and for redefining Celine’s MO (read: tasteful tailoring and oversized accessories), the New York Times called Philo “the Chanel of her generation”. The Guardian called her ‘Female Gaze’ aesthetic the most influential sartorial movement since Dior’s ‘New Look’ in the 1960s.

Come September when we’re no doubt still sitting in Fashion Week traffic, whatever the configuration of Philo’s grand reveal, we’ll take it.