Phoebe Philo hit by new controversies

After months of eager anticipation for the first collection of Phoebe Philo's eponymous brand, following the instant success of the brand's immediately sold-out drops, the British designer now finds herself at the center of a serious controversy, as she has been accused of exploitation by her employees. It was fashion editor and influencer Brenda Hashtag who raised the issue, posting a tweet on August 15th that was later deleted (it is unclear whether it was removed by X or the influencer), in which she invited Philophiles (fans of Philo's aesthetic) and the entire fashion community to check out the anonymous reviews of former employees of the brand on Glassdoor. The German editor's tweet was subsequently featured in a TikTok video by young fashion creator Katie Robinson, who explained in detail how most of the testimonies were complaints about having experienced a deeply toxic environment, managed by a bullying management: in addition to countless unpaid overtime hours, some reviews recount insults and unjustified scoldings received from Philo, who, with the snobbery and bluntness she is said to be known for, allegedly wouldn't even remember the names of her team members.

This is not the first time Philo's work methods and professional choices have become a subject of controversy: on The Cut, in a review article of the designer's first collection, fashion news writer Danya Issawi revisits a past issue related to some of Philo's aesthetic choices, accusing her of «racism on the runway»; ten years earlier, human rights activist and former model Bethann Hardison highlighted, in a 2013 interview with The Standard, the lack of Black women in Philo's runway shows for Céline, despite the brand's highly diverse client base. According to Hardison, during those years, many Black women wore Céline's oversized jewelry and luxury leather bags like the Triumph (one of the it-bags of the era), also carried by Viola Davis in How to Get Away with Murder. Furthermore, supermodel Iman, the first Black woman to walk the runways of major fashion houses, stated in a 2022 interview on Sway's Universe: «This is why I never bought a Celine bag: she has the right to her runway, and I have the right to my wallet.»

Despite the serious accusations leveled against Phoebe Philo, the demand for archival pieces from her Céline collections continues to grow. The high priestess of quiet luxury, despite her long absence from the scene, has managed to remain relevant over the years, influencing the aesthetics of acclaimed contemporary brands like Peter Do and The Row, even reaching the shelves of fast fashion, which often attempts to replicate some of her impeccably fitted garments, albeit with poor results. Beyond the controversies, the fashion system has not ceased to recognize the British designer's talent and her contribution to creating a minimalist and "effortless" aesthetic, especially one free from the male gaze, yet still exclusive in the conscious choice to represent only one model of woman—white, thin, and necessarily wealthy to afford such expensive clothing. Compared to the Céline era, we can observe in the recent advertising campaigns of Philo's brand a greater inclusivity in casting choices, especially regarding the age of the models. For now, we can only wait and see whether this time the controversy will have any effect on the brand perception and the designer's reputation.