Easy, fluid, fresh, but also surprisingly urban.
It seems Phoebe Philo has reached the point where she just wants her clothes to speak for themselves, because she didn’t want to say anything about them before or after her show, and as it transpired, they did speak for themselves, and for a relatable point of view on women’s lives.
The suiting jackets were oversized but fluid, the trousers were three-quarter-length, with printed chiffon inserts at the cuff. The palette was neutral with spots of sorbet, a raspberry dress in chiffon, a pale lemon yellow, or a cotton shell top in mint. Shoes were paired in different colours, with the heel height falling right into the current trend for kitten heels. Bags had a more understated edge, and one style, a classy, gimmick-free top-handled frame handbag, looked as if it might have come from the Céline archive.
The show itself was set in a pavilion designed be Dan Graham. The S-shaped, two-way glass structure, was reflective and transparent, and positioned in the middle of an open space through which the models walked. Phoebe Philo explained the show and set, ‘I wanted to see it cast through the kaleidoscope of Dan’s installation. The fact that people can see themselves and the clothes makes for more complex reflections.’
