Phoebe Philo to Celine

Posted in FASHION by MelanieHick on Aug 07, 04:00AM

The French-language gossip in Paris can be felt from here. Phoebe Philo, the true powerhouse behind the rise of Chloe may soon shift to Celine.

The rumour which has been brewing since Philo left Chloe is that Celine, owned by fashion megalith Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH ), is working up a tasty deal to nab her.

If they move fast enough, Philo could be in place by Spring, in time to work up the spring 2009 collection to show in March.

When she was at Chloe, in partnership with Stella McCartney, Philo did not remain in the Beatle baby's shadow for long. Her talents were quickly identified by many as superior to her colleague's and when McCartney left to launch her eponymnous label, Philo was appointed head designer. Philo resigned from Chloe on January 5 2006, and has since been the subject of rumour and speculation.

She is touted as one of the key young designers of the age, and with the old guard of couture eventually passing, a label like Celine would be foolish not to snap her up.