217: Eyes and hands on Phoebe Philo and Carven

What it's like finally experiencing fashion's most elusive collections IRL.

Apr 12, 2024

Yesterday morning, as I was about to walk through Bergdorf Goodman’s white marble doors to visit Phoebe Philo’s in-store boutique, my good friend and soon-to-be-newsletterer

Khuyen Do

, who I had sent on an intelligence mission for Magasin, texted me that she had just left Carven’s Champs-Élysées flagship. From our posts in New York and Paris, we had eyes and hands on two of fashion’s most elusive collections, globally.

Philo’s collection, to the annoyance of luxury shoppers being asked to part with tens of thousands of dollars, had only been available at phoebephilo.com since its launch last October (much has already been written on this in this newsletter and elsewhere). In a headlining change to that sales practice, the brand had opened up at Bergdorf’s, its exclusive US retail partner moving forward, that morning at 11am.

Meanwhile Carven, on a comeback tour led by Louise Trotter that’s now two seasons deep, has yet to upload a single item to its website (it has instead oscillated between messages saying “Coming Soon” and demanding in French that visitors enter a password). In early March, Carven announced the reopening of its store, where SS24 would be available for purchase.

Read below to see what your Magasin correspondents discovered at each offline locale, and make sure you sign up early for

Khuyen Do

’s newsletter

The Cakewalk

, launching this Monday (you heard it here first!!).

Phoebe

The scene

Bergdorf’s opens at 11am, and I arrived on day one of Phoebe’s boutique at 11:15-ish. A sales attendant in the street-level bag pit clocked me right away and asked, “fourth floor? Elevators right that way.” There was a “line” outside the brand’s 20’x8’ glass enclosure, but it was just a security guard standing with you until a rep could welcome you into the space—probably 10 people inside and another eight standing just outside when I got there.

The BG team was clearly on high alert. One who I spoke to was literally shaking, but I guess the stakes were high; I heard Phoebe’s husband and Bergdorf’s president were around. I ran into Jess Testa from the Times, who was immediately flanked by BG’s PR.

The stuff

There was an edited mix of both releases on the floor: three or four pairs of shoes, two of which I tried on (the leather is beyond gorgeous—soft and supple, super comfortable against your delicate foot skin, though one pair of thin-heeled mules ($1,200) felt a bit shaky to walk in); a few Basket Cabas ($4,500), Drive ($5,800), and Gig bags ($3,500)—the XL Cabas ($8,500) was big enough to fit a child inside; and an edit of jewelry (the MUM necklace ($4,500) of course) and sunglasses (everyone was trying them on).

Several dozen styles of RTW hung around the perimeter of the space, and I admit I was a bit overwhelmed where to start. The suiting was heavy and serious, with intimidatingly stiff seams. The silky things interspersed throughout were very deluxe, the shirting felt fantastic. A lot of things I would have liked to try on were just 1,000% going to swallow me. Phoebe clothing is all about volume and designed with tall people in mind—the zip-back jeans ($1,600) seemed like they’d be really flattering if you had the leg to fill them out.

I ended up trying on just two items, one fantasy—shaggy-legged pants—and one reality—a shoulder-padded t-shirt dress. The hand-combed trousers ($5,200) were definitely too big for me at the waist and in length (the sales rep said they were out of my size…more likely they didn’t stock it to begin with versus it selling out in the 10 minutes before I arrived). The silky viscose base was wonderful, but the fringe front was shedding a lot—there were threads all over the dressing room floor. The dress ($1,400) was hard to get a flattering pic of, but it was really fun. I came out of the dressing room to ask for a photo and accidentally made myself the center of attention, a roomful of shoppers throwing compliments my way.

Reaching for

I ended up buying the Bombe sunglasses! ($750, ahh!) I never would have got them from the online listing alone—I needed the experience of putting them on my face and realizing, oh, these are so unlike anything I’ve ever owned, but I adore and need them immediately. Being there at that moment with all of that first day of school energy definitely nudged me to open Apple Pay.

I’d like to go back to try on a cropped leather jacket ($6,000) I saw on my way out, and a pair of the non-zip-back jeans ($1,300) that looked my size. The shirting deserves a try-on, too, I can’t get it out of my head.

Carven

First impressions

Immediate Phoebe Philo’s Celine and The Row vibes. Store is clean and minimalist but inviting; simple enough but not so stark and white that it’s cold. Employees were super welcoming and nice which isn’t honestly my normal experience in France—I felt cozy there.

I’d want to come back often to check the collection and I feel like I’d be welcome to do so, not so much concerned with how much dough I was gonna drop. The vendor and I both gushed about Louise Trotter, agreeing how it was a welcome and big change for the maison but how we’re all so excited to see what’s happening.

What’s selling

A lot, according to the sales attendants. The transparent lingerie collection is a best seller (€90 bottoms, €170 bra), the linen top is also best seller with lots of try ons (€990). The coat already sold out—they only received two of them. (Laura note: If the flagship only had two pieces, and there are only very few stores between France and China, there must under a dozen of these coats in existence. Wild.) A pochette in white and green stripes and yellow already sold out, but a navy and cream version just came in that’s likely to sell out, too (small €690, grand €890). The necklaces are one of a kind, so if you buy one, you’re the only one that has one like that (€380)—also a best seller.

Something very interesting to learn was that the collection is actually unisex and has been sold to decent amount of men. A male clientele is starting to build, as they used to have menswear. The best seller on that front is striped unisex shirt and white one (€590).

Reaching for

Some simple, clean closet staples for sure. My fave is the sheer lingerie set, it’s so freaking chic and feminine. Love the greens and yellows in this pre collection.

Laura note: Remember to sign up for

The Cakewalk

before it launches this Monday!

I may earn some money if you make a purchase through one of the links above.

Follow us on Instagram at @magasin.ltd.