It’s been a while since I shared a The One That Got Away story for Fashion Friday. So it must have been serendipitous that I would run across this photo this week.
Sometimes I think my memory blocks out the ones that get away. Like a defense mechanism, it doesn’t want me to relieve that ‘what could have been’ feeling.
Immediately upon seeing this photo, I drew in a sharp, quick breath. WHY! Why did I let this beauty get away?
Left image: Diego Anciano; Right image: Phil Oh for Vogue
Made from the most luxurious, sumptuous knit, this dress was [literally] like being wrapped in a warm blanket. A blanket sent down from the heavens.
The circular enamel embellishment with gold pin reminded me of the t-shirt rings from the 80s. Those, but elevated to epic proportions.
The way it draped in the front gave it an easy yet formal feeling. Kilt-like. Intriguing.
It was, of course, Pheobe Philo for Celine.
Here’s the rub of this beauty that got away.
This dress, this dream, was from the last collection Philo would have input on for Celine. (Her official final collection was Pre-Fall 2018.)
Here’s the thing. At the time, you couldn’t buy Celine online. Ready-to-wear was only available in store. 24S would go on to sell Celine RTW online, and once Hedi Slimane took over, Celine.com would as well.
But this. This was a pivotal moment. It was that moment between her last ounce of creative expression for the brand, and it’s unavailability to the average consumer.
An urban fashion legend.
So why, oh why, did I let this rare opportunity pass me up? I will never be able to answer this question. It has plagued me numerous times. I have an infinite number of The One’s That Got Away. There will be more.
These treasures, these ones that got away, are like memories. Like the Hall of Prophecy in Harry Potter (yes, super geeky) these treasures are kept on endless rows of towering shelves, stored in delicate glass orbs.
And that’s what fashion is. A frozen moment in time. The way it makes you feel, how it influences your interpretations, how the world perceives you. It’s an essence. Channeled through a physical being.
Philo’s Celine is one of the most celebrated designer runs in history. This quote by Cathy Horyn epitomizes the magic:
“Because Philo’s clothes were not just simply for women; they were also about women — their distractions, their routines, the way they stuff a bag under an arm or concoct an outfit out of a dress and trousers, their sideways longing for red-lipped glamour, their disdain for basics, their love of uniforms, their wisdom and maturity. It was all there, every season, expressed in the clothes.”
Had I known. Had I known…