Roughly 60 years ago, Yves Saint Laurent began revolutionizing women’s wardrobes by borrowing archetypes from menswear like trench coats, safari jackets, pea coats and tuxedos.
Phoebe Philo’s signature collection, introduced three years ago, continues the work in her inimitable way.
Her Collection F – shown under embargo to select journalists in a Paris showroom last July, and with an online refresher course last week – riffed on men’s dress shirts, tuxedo trousers, pajamas and topcoats alongside wildcards like a gauzy tube dress in a bold lipstick red, or a padded train that can be twisted around the ankles for a photo shoot, or hoisted and carried on the forearm.
The collection did not break much new ground, nor excite to the usual degree. It felt more laidback, hinged mainly on top-and-trouser combinations; mostly shirts with a bit of cuff drama, and what were anointed “turned tailored tops,” basically austere jackets in gauzy fabrics worn backwards, creating the effect of a backless blouse.
Boyish tuxedo pants, with a slightly dropped crotch, recurred frequently, as did Philo’s terrific carpenter and five-pocket jeans, washed and faded for a lived-in look.
Accessories also felt more low-key. In the look book, drop pearl earrings recur frequently. Ditto scrunched pumps and squishy flats in colors like dark plum or oxblood.
Still, what never fails to impress are the sumptuous fabrics, sophisticated colors and the meticulous finishing. While the iron’s hot, Philo applies it here and there for creases and sheen that bring more soul, and a sly edge, to her clothes.
Her shearling coats, meanwhile, are hand-painted and sometimes tumbled, producing arresting patinas and impressive fluffiness. One imposing bathrobe style comes in what was dubbed a “neon ginger” shade, while another boasted permanently pushed-up sleeves, which brought to mind Philo and her labor-intensive, hands-on approach.
Collection F is due for delivery starting in January.
