Phoebe Philo after the AW11/12 Céline show, wearing her famous Stan Smiths. Photograph: Eric Ryan/Getty Images
Céline’s creative director, Phoebe Philo, is leaving her position after 10 years, the French house confirmed. Phoebe Philo is the woman responsible for making Birkenstocks trendy and the aesthetic behind basically everything Zara has sold in the past five years. Céline without Phoebe, not sure.
The news was confirmed by the Business of Fashion.
“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 a part of the collaborations and conversations… it’s been amazing.”
Phoebe also added: “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 has been amazing.”
The brand was founded in 1945 and acquired by conglomerate LVMH and Philo is credited with turning around the fortunes of the brand.
Céline became known for blending artistic expression with functionality. Sources say Philo has no plans to move immediately to another house and may simply take a break from fashion. Rumor goes she might join her former chief executive Marco Gobbetti at Burberry when chief creative officer Christopher Bailey departs at the end of March 2018.
"It's a good time for the company to be led by a woman," she said in a statement to CNNMoney. "This is another first for the company and I'm honored and humbled."