Former Céline creative director Phoebe Philo was always designing with a classically modern woman in mind. Her minimalistic, perfectly tailored garments exuded inherently effortless and intricate grace, often employing elements of quintessentially masculine dress.
Philo’s Fall/Winter 2013 collection for French house marked a turning point for the beloved brand into the realm of feminine romanticism. Flouncy, flared skirts with demure, below-the-knee hemlines were paired with structured, linear turtlenecks, while dreamy oversized silhouettes were made surprisingly flattering, exemplified through a number of rounded, cocoon-like coats.
Structured fabrics and muted colors shared the spotlight this season; checked tweeds, mink fur and wool crepes in creamy-ivory’s, beiges, peachy pastels and pops of strong, winter green, deep navy’s and bright red. Philo was also keen on texture and unexpected pairings; case in point, a blue top and red skirt, both rendered in complimentary woven plaids, came across unexpectedly harmonious. The classic slip dress silhouette was remade in an unexpected brown mink, while one coveted look was a fuzzy tufted black-and-white coat that appeared impossibly soft.
Straightforward Footwear was also of note. Flared skirts were paired with forties heels, and thigh-high stocking boots made of leather stomped the runway throughout multiple looks, both perfectly fit for a sophisticated and contemporary working woman – the quintessential Céline woman.
References
- 1
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Balenciaga
Sweater and Skirt, 1952
Donlyn Lyndon
Champy House, Rye Beach, New Hampshire, 1971-1979
Jack Deutsch
Geoffrey Beene's Coat, photographed in 2004
Robert Mallet-Stevens
Lounge Chair, 1927
Louise Bourgeois
Fabric Work
Jean Royère
Cabinet
Louise Bourgeois
Cinq, 2007
Anthony Caro
Lola, 1988–89
Balenciaga
Wool Suit, 1956
Cesare Berlingeri
Senza Titolo, 2003
Djo Bourgeois
Modernist Pedestal, Early 20th Century
Dorothea Tanning
Rainy-Day Canapé, 1970
Jean Royère
Rare "Croisillons" Desk in red lacquered metal, 1947
Meret Oppenheim
Object (Fur-covered cup, saucer, and spoon), 1936
Myron Goldfinger
Home in Montague, New Jersey
Richard Prince
Untitled (oh), 2010
Shio Kusaka
Black and White Ceramic Vase
Shio Kusaka
Black and White Ceramic Vase
Shio Kusaka
Black and White Ceramic Vase
Shio Kusaka
Black and White Ceramic Vase
References
Balenciaga
Sweater and Skirt, 1952
1 of 20
Donlyn Lyndon
Champy House, Rye Beach, New Hampshire, 1971-1979
2 of 20
Jack Deutsch
Geoffrey Beene's Coat, photographed in 2004
3 of 20
Robert Mallet-Stevens
Lounge Chair, 1927
4 of 20
Louise Bourgeois
Fabric Work
5 of 20
Jean Royère
Cabinet
6 of 20
Louise Bourgeois
Cinq, 2007
7 of 20
Anthony Caro
Lola, 1988–89
8 of 20
Balenciaga
Wool Suit, 1956
9 of 20
Cesare Berlingeri
Senza Titolo, 2003
10 of 20
Djo Bourgeois
Modernist Pedestal, Early 20th Century
11 of 20
Dorothea Tanning
Rainy-Day Canapé, 1970
12 of 20
Jean Royère
Rare "Croisillons" Desk in red lacquered metal, 1947
13 of 20
Meret Oppenheim
Object (Fur-covered cup, saucer, and spoon), 1936
14 of 20
Myron Goldfinger
Home in Montague, New Jersey
15 of 20
Richard Prince
Untitled (oh), 2010
16 of 20
Shio Kusaka
Black and White Ceramic Vase
17 of 20
Shio Kusaka
Black and White Ceramic Vase
18 of 20
Shio Kusaka
Black and White Ceramic Vase
19 of 20
