Why fashion designer Phoebe Philo is the ultimate style influencer

Phoebe Philo, 52Long before launching her own label in 2023, Philo graduated from Central Saint Martins in 1996, and in 1997 joined Chloé as her friend Stella McCartney’s first assistant. Philo became Chloé creative director from 2001 to 2006, but it was the decade she...

Ghanamma

October 11, 2026Ghana

By HANNAH SKELLEY, FASHION EDITOR Updated: 09:56 19 Sep 2026

Long before launching her own label in 2023, Philo graduated from Central Saint Martins in 1996, and in 1997 joined Chloé as her friend Stella McCartney’s first assistant. Philo became Chloé creative director from 2001 to 2006, but it was the decade she spent as creative director of Celine from 2008 that sealed her iconic status. She coined her signature luxe-minimalist aesthetic, transformed the sleepy French brand into a global force, gained a cult following of still- loyal ‘Philophiles’ – and shaped the careers of those who worked with her.

The Spanish designer was leather goods and accessories design director under Philo at Celine from 2010 to 2015, and was later Mulberry creative director. From 2020 he was director of leather goods at Louis Vuitton, taking up his current role this year.

Kamali began her career interning under Philo at Chloé in the early 2000s, returning to the brand in 2010 under Clare Waight Keller. She was women’s ready-to-wear design director at Saint Laurent from 2016, and became creative director at Chloé in 2023.

Christen is one of the most sought-after shoe designers in the industry. Across two decades, she designed for Celine under Philo, Bottega Veneta under Daniel Lee, and for The Row, before taking the Dior post in 2025.

Lee is a top protégé of Philo, serving as director of ready- to-wear at Celine from 2012 to 2018. His four-year tenure as creative director of Bottega Veneta was highly acclaimed, and he took the Burberry top spot in 2022.

French-Belgian Blazy was senior designer under Philo at Celine from 2014 to 2016, and in 2021 became creative director at Bottega Veneta. Since joining Chanel in 2024, his fresh, fun take on luxury has made waves for the brand – a retail boom dubbed ‘Matthieumania’.

The new Courrèges top man interned for Philo at Celine as a Central Saint Martins student, joining her team full time after graduating in 2014. He rejoined Philo in 2020 to assist with the launch of her own brand, and became Burberry senior design director in 2023.

After winning the 2014 LVMH Graduate Prize, the Vietnam- born US designer refined his technical skills under Philo at Celine for two years before joining Derek Lam. Do, who wears a trademark face mask, launched his successful label in 2018. Zendaya, Beyoncé and Celine Dion are all fans of his structural tailoring.

US-born Rider has been in the top job at Celine since 2024, having been design director for almost a decade during Philo’s tenure. In 2018, he become creative director for Polo Ralph Lauren, before returning to his fashion roots.

Courtesy Celine, courtesy David Sims, Getty Images, Jay Lehner, Shutterstock

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