Old Céline, New Context
Starring: one stylist, two hundred Old Céline pieces, and several existential questions
In June, I wrote about how hard sometimes it is for me to differentiate between wearing and collecting Old Céline - and how, for a while, it felt like I was slipping into the far-fetched definition of a collector, rather than someone dressing to express an inner self (read here).
There were days I stood in front of my wardrobe - over two hundred Old Céline pieces - and had no idea what to wear. It made me sad. I began to question my approach entirely. I don’t want people to measure me by the number of “collector’s” pieces I own. Everything is subjective. A simple black sweater can bring more joy than a fox-print silk blouse from Spring 2016, simply because I’ll actually wear it.
Then came another question: what does contemporary wardrobe feel like for me now? Many of Phoebe’s pieces belong so strongly to their season - and that season might be ten years ago. They’re often self-sufficient, difficult to layer, difficult to dress down. So I felt like I needed another pair of eyes and another congenial mind to solve this puzzle.
So I decided to invite my friend, an amazing stylist and, and conveniently for puzzles, former mathematician, into this process. Valeriya helped me go through my wardrobe to find new ways of mixing and re-imagining my Old Céline pieces.
And I have to say - talking to someone about my wardrobe for hours (and hours!) felt really special. I want to share a bit of our creative process here, and some of Valeriya’s ideas that might be helpful for you too.
Valeriya said something that instantly resonated with me: “The challenge with Old Céline is that each piece is so strong on its own.” Contemporary styling is often about layers and volume - but with Old Céline, that’s harder, because sometimes a dress simply speaks for itself. So for us it wasn’t about reinventing the clothes, but about finding small tweaks that make them feel fresh.
Like here - if I wear the shirt backwards, the whole silhouette changes. It suddenly feels very modern. That simple trick that I never thought to try brought back several shirts I hadn’t worn that often. It seems Phoebe Philo designed many of her shirts to be worn backwards - maybe Old Céline shirts in her later collections were also intended that way.
Another favorite discovery: an above-the-knee skirt can be turned into a kilt when worn over pants, or even layered on top of another skirt. That always felt too styled for me, but in our options I actually felt cool.
We didn’t have a goal of editing or getting rid of things - it was never about that. A collection is a collection; you add rather than remove. Still, a few pieces ended up in a separate pile - because the cut felt off, or the proportions no longer worked for me.
My friend said the other day that I let go of pieces easily. I don’t. It actually breaks my heart every time. I wish I could keep everything - every shoe, every coat, every object - but sometimes you have to choose something new over something that stopped working.
But we definitely added a few things to look for on resale - the kind of purchases you can’t really plan, but can somehow manifest. Visualization works strangely well for me: if I start picturing something specific, it usually appears on resale not long after.
Our list looks like this (all Old Céline or Phoebe Philo):
– a white bag
– sock boots
– relaxed white or cream full-length trousers
– light-wash relaxed jeans, like PP Drop jeans
– PP brown trousers
– a blanket, scarf, or cape to wear over a coat
Another thought I had - now that there’s Phoebe Philo and Céline by Michael Rider, it somehow feels easier to bring freshness into Old Céline. There’s a new visual language forming between the three: echoes, continuations, references. Mixing them feels natural.
And I have to say, I can’t wait to go to Paris in December to try on the first pieces of clothing from Céline by Michael Rider. I’m so in love with what he’s doing - the precision, the confidence, the subtle nods to Phoebe without imitation. I really think it will become a big part of my wardrobe (and, well, I’ve already started, oops).
In general, I feel like we’re entering a different era in fashion and I’m in a good place within that never-ending process of editing my own style. This time, I’m grateful to have received input from someone who puts such incredible thought and time into her work. And more than anything, I feel excited to dress up again.
After a long stretch of not quite belonging to the post-Covid version of fashion, it finally feels like time again - to take out the suits and silk blouses, the tailored trousers and big accessories - and to wear them not for occasion, but for myself.
Blitz Q&A with Valeriya - a few questions about where fashion is heading right now!
Which recent collection best captures the mood of fashion right now?
I think that’s Bottega Veneta by Louise Trotter - it’s relaxed enough, feminine enough, and bold enough. We can see the design and craftsmanship, but they don’t contradict our reality: the woman behind it is visible, her heels aren’t too high, and she no longer needs to prove anything.
What’s one fabric you’re happy to see coming back after years of absence?
I was so happy to spot eel leather (and its imitations) last season - it’s such a beautiful, bold accent to almost any outfit (and still not overhyped!).
Are silhouettes becoming more fitted again after years of oversized clothing?
Yes and no! We still have a lot of volume (at least in the shoulder area), but the overall silhouette is waisted. The modern woman - in terms of current fashion - is feminine, yet powerful and relaxed.
What’s one styling detail that instantly makes a look feel “2025/26”?
That’s a hard choice! I think it’s (still) layering - top on top, skirt over trousers, sweater on sweater… choose your fighter.
Has the image of the woman changed - how she moves, how she dresses?
Yes! And I’d give a huge credit to Phoebe Philo for these changes. The modern woman is… effortless? Truly effortless, at last - because we’ve all overused this word before. She knows what she wants; she dresses for herself (okay, for other women too - but not for men anymore). Her poses have become more relaxed as well: in campaigns, women aren’t showing long legs anymore - we’re sitting on soft sofas instead. And I love it so much.
And do you feel fashion is becoming more personal again - more emotional, more human?
Yes! I do. And I can say that I genuinely enjoy - and want to participate in - fashion again after a few years of quiet observation. On the other hand, prices are rising at supersonic speed, and that definitely feels like a contradiction to the whole idea of being human, haha. Still, I feel that something is shifting in the right direction: trends are slowing down, and maybe we’ll finally jump off this hamster wheel for a while.
P.S. - I named this newsletter Rare Copy because so many Old Céline pieces felt like that - rare, but not exactly unique. Turns out, it also describes my posting pattern. I wish I could come up with a brand-new topic every week (like Leandra!), but I’m more of a think-about-it-for-a-while, live-with-it, then-write kind of person. So now Rare Copy stands for both - the rare issues I send out, and the rare copies hanging in my closet.
With love,
Veronika
Rare Copy is a good thing! Too much content out there. Miss monthly magazines ;-)
So so impressed with your pant/dress/skirt layering!! One of the hardest styling tricks, and all of your looks are perfection