Phoebe Philo puts the sand back between the toes of the Céline woman for SS16.
A universal wardrobe
Sandy floored, Céline SS16 glides down the runway built within a tentscape setting to the co-designed soundtrack by artist, FOS. Backstage Philo was heard saying, “I want to put her feet back in the sand”, on the topic of this season’s Céline woman. “I wanted to put her in different environments. To take her out of the urban setting, and to find clothes that worked in different places.” Back to the collection itself, Philo’s intended versatility really could fit into any environment. We’re not looking at your conventional travel collection that is typically built on comfy basics. It aims and succeeds in meeting the needs of any well-travelled woman of the modern day who is conscious not to sacrifice an inch of style in her wardrobe. Rather than create a distinctive jaw-dropping collection like she has done in the past, this season Philo seems clear on her goal of constantly ask the question: what would I want to put on my body? As a result, Philo’s stylish reaction is a collection that “is a bit like a tent, which can be folded and packed up.”
“Many, many materials”
Fabrics are the heart and soul of Céline – the house is known for tirelessly researching new materials and how they can be put together. This season, Philo’s use of a myriad of materials is where much of the detail lies. Where one material meets another, there is an opposition that ironically brings the two together. A perfect balance between skimpy laced lingerie dresses to teddy bear fur outerwear, every piece that lies between makes for the most ideal ready-to-wear wardrobe. Silky frocks in peachy nudes that cling to the wearer’s torso before dropping out to a floating skirt that meets the ankles inject the feminine back into the practical, and satisfy non-floral dress cravings without compromising on an inch of elegance.
Shoes are everything
Whether you’re a shoe person or not – shoes really are everything in a collection. It’s been known that the shoe is the selling point of most collections, and sell like hot cakes in comparison to the clothes. Often the shoe is the designer’s final full stop on what they want that outfit to be all about: whether it’s a delicate and refined ode to a woman’s femininity or a a bold heavy statement shoe to underline the look. With this thinking in mind, Philo really seems to have considered the mantra of each look when styling with red pointy ballerina shoes to accentuate the delicate lingerie looks or balance out the chunkier, shoulder-heavy jackets. Likewise, the white and black boots complimented and balanced outfits, and we’ve got a feeling they’ll be on Céline’s list of best sellers next year.
Words: Hannah Sargeant