Phoebe Philo Try-On in Paris

My first look at Dover Street Market

Hiii everyone!

Wow, it’s been a while! I lost my rhythm with Substack for a bit, but I’m back with something exciting—last week I spent an evening in Paris at Dover Street Market, trying on some Phoebe Philo pieces!

I hadn’t planned on buying anything, but I was curious to see how the clothes fit—the silhouettes, the sleeve and trouser lengths, and those details that make Phoebe Philo distinct from her Céline era. I’ve already mentioned that many pieces feel reminiscent of her past work, yet they still feel incredibly current. Sometimes, I find myself stuck with my Céline pieces—her last collection was in 2018, and while the 2016-2018 designs are easier to style, older collections (2015 is already a decade old!) can be trickier to keep feeling contemporary. And while I don’t follow trends, I do like my outfits to have a fresh, modern feel.

At first glance, it didn’t seem like there were a lot of pieces. For bags, they only had the Gig, which isn’t my favorite model; the jewelry was sold out; and for shoes, they only had one pair in my size. Still, it was amazing to see these pieces in person after obsessing over images for so long.

And just to add—I LOVE Phoebe Philo’s visuals. I save all the campaigns and videos.

Before we dive in, a quick moment of appreciation: Dover Street Market had a stunning Niko Pirosmani installation at the entrance. I adore his magical, naïve style.

Niko Pirosmani, Dover Street Market

The Phoebe Philo section wasn’t easy to find, but I somehow remembered it was on the first floor!

The first piece I tried was the most expensive one—this incredible Robe Coat in brindle shearling from the third edit, priced at €16,000. Absolutely gorgeous.

Robe coat in brindle shearling

I was really keen on trying blazers. The first one I tried was described as a “double-breasted, tailored jacket with inverted sleeves in black wool, sharp pressed, with a masculine fit and a clean silhouette”. I would definitely go for FR38, but the tailoring is impeccable.

Milanese Jacket

Next, I tried another blazer with matching trousers: “a single-breasted, tailored jacket with gently inverted sleeves in sharp-pressed dark taupe satin-back barathea wool, featuring a subtly textured surface and a satin sheen back”. I’m obsessed with the creases on the sleeves—Céline blazers from Phoebe Philo’s last collections had this beautiful detail as well.

I was really hoping to try on the Drop jeans, but they weren’t in stock. Instead, I tried the Strap Jeans in white (size FR38)—very cool, very current.

The shirt was a perfect basic piece, the kind you could probably find at other brands. I tried it in FR40, but one size smaller would be the ideal fit.

What was interesting to me is that as much as I liked these pieces, I didn’t have that feeling of not wanting to take them off. Maybe that’s intentional, aligning with the idea of making them more like a uniform. Of course, it wasn’t the biggest selection, and I’m sure I’d like other pieces much more—but still, I think it’s important to feel a spark or connection with clothes, especially when trying them on for the first time.

But the shoes—I wouldn’t mind buying most of them. These two? Definitely yes! The sizing is the same as Céline. The loafers would be perfect for every day, while these sexy square-toe heels would instantly elevate any outfit.

Oh, I also tried on sunglasses, and now I definitely need to add the Bombé Oversized Frame in caramel from the first drop to my collection.

Overall, I still think I’m not quite ready for Phoebe Philo’s RTW—both aesthetically and financially, haha. I really love how fun Céline was, and for now, I’d like to keep that playfulness in my wardrobe.

That said, I’m really excited about the news of Michael Rider! For some reason, I have a feeling it will be very good—and I hope he brings back Céline stores with a more interesting design. As much as I’m used to shopping resale, I do miss the offline store experience from time to time.

I met up with my friend Noora in Paris, and we went to see the new The Row store—which was absolutely stunning. The space itself was a huge source of interior inspiration, with its carefully curated pieces and beautifully understated design. But what made it even more special was that we grabbed a coffee there and spent 20 minutes surrounded by beautiful clothing and vintage objects, just chatting and taking it all in.

It was such a rare and intimate moment—an experience you can’t have in a department store (though I do appreciate Dover Street Market). This is exactly why I’m looking forward to seeing what the new Céline and, hopefully, Phoebe Philo stores will be like. Spaces like these make fashion feel more personal, don’t you think?

So nice to be back!! With love,

Veronika