How Phoebe Philo Has Bucked Luxury's Downward Trend and Come Out On Top

If any one of us hears the words quiet luxury again, our eyes may well roll into the backs of our skulls. And yet, with the continued adoration of brands such as The Row, Brunello Cucinelli and Loro Piana, it’s clear that pared-back design has become the purest expression of luxury — no prefix required. It should come as little surprise, then, that another minimalist label is enjoying a similar groundswell of success: Phoebe Philo. And this year looks set to take the brand from strength to strength.

In just two years of trading, the label has reportedly tripled its sales, forecasting revenues of more than £32 million, according to Business of Fashion. No small feat for a fledgling brand. The strategy? A digital-first model that initially focused on cultivating a highly engaged email list — a smart move, given Philo’s devoted following from her time as creative director at Celine and Chloé.

After all, the Celine Luggage bag, the Chloé Paddington and the brand’s iconic banana print are just a handful of fashion touchstones associated with her name. As celebrity stylist and fashion expert Marian Kwei notes: “She has been instrumental in defining and shaping what the modern-day womenswear wardrobe looks like”. A quick poll of my fashion-industry peers suggests Kwei is far from alone in that assessment.

“I’ve been a fan of Phoebe Philo’s work since her time at Céline. She has an instinctive understanding of how women want to look — and, more importantly, how they want to feel in their clothes,” jewellery designer and L’Atelier 73 founder Nishita Assomull tells me. “The continued obsession with “Old Céline” (and its 300k+ Instagram followers) says it all. When she announced her eponymous label, signing up to hear more was a given.”

That sense of Philo’s innate understanding of women—and what they actually need from their wardrobes—is echoed widely. Her namesake label only leans further into that idea. “With her brand, she makes clothes that work functionally that not only exist perfectly within our times but more importantly manage to exist seamlessly independent of seasonal trends,” Kwei adds.

Celebrity stylist Kat Pelosi also highlights how, in a remarkably short space of time, the Phoebe Philo brand has already established a distinct identity. “What’s notable is how quickly her designs are replicated and become everyone’s must-have item: creating highly reposted moments on socials, from Kendall Jenner wearing the cashmere Teddy jacket, which I believe sparked interest in reverse shearling coats, to the Bombé sunglasses, which have already been echoed across the luxury market and now the high street.”

“True to form, the brand carries forward her minimalist yet incisive designs: understated, functional and sharply intelligent in silhouette,” Assomull adds. “I’m currently eyeing the Robe Coat in black and the Sliced Dress for summer—pieces that are timeless, considered and quietly impactful without trying too hard.”

That, ultimately, is what fans are seeking from Philo: trend-resistant wardrobe foundations that will anchor outfits for years to come, while still carrying just enough edge to avoid veering into the mundane. Fashion editor April Ru Wan even points to the ineffable feeling that accompanies wearing her designs: “Philo is such a powerful woman. When I buy her pieces I step into that energy”.

So, with such a loyal following—and recent expansion into global wholesale destinations including Dover Street Market, Maxfield and Galeries Lafayette—it’s easy to understand the increase in sales. Add to that whispers of a forthcoming London flagship, and the year ahead looks set to be even bigger.

“Given that the brand’s unconventional business model of retailing via ‘collection drops’ worked and saw the brand's expected sales for 2025 exceed £32 million, Phoebe Philo will continue to find ways to exist and thrive that might not be conventional for a high fashion brand,” Kwei notes. What might that look like? Wholesale growth, continued expansion across Asia, and new product categories cites Business of Fashion, pointing to a future that’s quietly ambitious, rather than loudly luxurious.

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