One woman influenced how millennials dressed for years. Here's what she wants you to wear now.

Long before Quiet Luxury took over our social feeds and infiltrated our wardrobes, there was Phoebe Philo.

The year was 2008 — an era when It-Girls courted the paparazzi, celebrities wore bandage dresses with sky-high platform heels, reality TV was in its infancy and Instagram wasn't invented yet.

Watch: A (very quick) recap of Phoebe Philo's enduring influence on our wardrobes. Post continues below.

A time of refined taste it was not. But one woman helped to change that.

When British fashion designer Phoebe Philo took over as creative director of the struggling French luxury house Celine, she reset the dial on… well, style.

It's hard to name another person who has had such an enormous influence on how a generation of women dress, without them even knowing it.

Phoebe Philo takes a bow after presenting her collection for Celine in 2011. Image: Getty.

Philo's debut collection ushered in a new fashion movement, where clean lines, relaxed shapes and neutral tones ruled.

Her designs were modern and desirable, and proposed a way of dressing that looked effortless and polished all at once.

Looks from Phoebe Philo's collections for Celine. Images: Resee.

The 'Phoebe Philo Celine years' are still viewed as one of the pivotal moments in modern-day style, where a female designer really understood the assignment:

Creating clothes women actually wanted to wear.

At a time when most designers were putting models in stilettos, Philo sent them down the runway in flats.

Her accessory designs were wildly unpredictable, making them all the more covetable. Think jewelled slides lined in faux fur (then dubbed 'furkenstocks'), or a leather clutch designed to look like a lunch bag.

Celine's 'furkenstocks' started the trend for fuzzy slides. Image: Resee.

But it was the handbags that really propelled the brand into the stratosphere.

Celine's oversized leather 'Cabas' tote and 'Phantom' bags were THE celebrity arm candy of the mid noughties, with everyone from Nicole Richie to Miranda Kerr, the Kardashians and the Hilton sisters seen carrying them.

Nicole Richie carries a Celine Phantom bag in 2008. Image: Getty.

Celine bags were everywhere in the 2010s, especially on the street style scene. Images: Getty.

With a celebrity following and fashion insiders buzzing, Philo's Celine sparked the kind of frenzy that few brands get to experience, and her acolytes even earned their own nickname: Philophiles.

For millennial women, the effect on our wardrobes was profound.

We lusted after the bags and shoes, and tried to capture a slice of her aesthetic via high street lookalikes.

We leaned into a more relaxed way of dressing, embraced neutrals, and understood the power of a great oversized blazer — lessons we haven't since forgotten.

Looks from Phoebe Philo's collections for Celine. Images: Resee.

While Philo departed the brand in 2017 to focus on her family, her tenure remains the stuff of legend.

There's an Instagram account dedicated to "Old Celine" that relives her hits of the past, and online resale sites sell the brand's pieces from the mid-2000s for inflated prices.

Which is why there was so much intrigue when Philo announced the launch of her eponymous label in 2023.

It was major news. Huge.

The big question: Could she do it again?

In a space saturated by viral social media trends and the hamster wheel of fast fashion, could Phoebe Philo once again cut through the noise, take command of our wardrobes and show us how to dress?

The answer is yes… and also no.

While the Phoebe Philo brand has all the hallmarks of her Celine years — loose tailoring, sleek oversized outerwear and cooler-than-cool accessories — there's a loftiness to the label that makes it inaccessible for most of us.

Looks from the latest Phoebe Philo range, Collection D. Images: Phoebe Philo.

Its prices are even more eye-watering than Celine, and when you compound this with a confusing release schedule (Philo drops her collections outside of the seasons, building desirability and waitlists in the process), it makes for a brand that's gatekept for all but the lucky few who can afford to obtain it.

That said, we can still take cues from what Philo is designing for women in 2025.

These are the key takeaways from her collections.

Bomber jackets.

Image: Phoebe Philo.

Whether they're sumptuous black leather or teddy-style faux fur, oversized bombers are a major element of Phoebe Philo collections.

And they're usually styled with slouchy tailored trousers.

Keep it neutral.

Much like her Celine days, Philo keeps to a muted colour palette.

Think browns, blacks, khakis, greys and the occasional burgundy. The exception in her new range is a black handbag with neon green fur accents.

White pants.

Image: Phoebe Philo.

Philo is loyal to a white pant, and her latest variations include utility-style cargos and flowy white trousers.

She rarely gives us jeans, but in her newest range, there's a pair of denim Bermuda shorts with frayed hems.

Collars up.

If you want to style yourself like a Phoebe Philo girl, pop your collar.

Almost all her coats, trenches and bombers are shown with the collar up over the neck for a cocooning effect.

Check print.

Image: Phoebe Philo.

If you haven't got the memo yet, check is about to be everywhere.

Philo showed a look in her new collection consisting of a shirt and pant in clashing black-and-white check prints.

Embrace long lines.

Image: Phoebe Philo.

The designer's elongated silhouettes are one of her signatures.

Don't be afraid to layer a tunic over pants, or wear your shirt untucked with trousers.

Sculptural silver jewels.

Image: Phoebe Philo.

Finally, if you're a fan of fine gold jewellery, the designer's latest pieces might not speak to you.

Weighty silver bauble necklaces, oversized stud earrings and angular cuffs punctuate her minimal aesthetic. And they're already trickling down into your favourite high street stores.

Feature image: Getty.