The rumors have have been circulating for over a year, but now they are official. Much-admired designer Phoebe Philo is planning to step away from her role as head creative for LVMH Moët Hennessy-owned Céline, a role she has held since 2008. Her fall 2018 collection to be presented in March 2018 will be her final one with the label.
In a statement acquired by WWD, Philo wrote, “Working with Céline has been an exceptional experience for me these last 10 years. 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 also weighed in with a statement.”What Phoebe has accomplished over the past 10 years represents a key chapter in the history of Céline,” he wrote. We are very grateful to Phoebe for having contributed to the great momentum of this maison. A new era of development for Céline will now start and I am extremely confident in the future success of this iconic maison.”
Early in 2016, there was talk she had grown tired of working for the Paris-based LVMH and there was some chatter she was in talks with competing luxury house Richemont, which owns Chloé, Azzedine Alaïa and Cartier.
However, according to WWD, she doesn’t have plans to work for a competing label in the near future. LVMH will name a successor in the coming months. In the interim, designs will be handled by established Céline staff.
