A mere week after proclaiming my love of Paulo Melim Andersson’s fall 08 Chloé collection, the house unceremoniously dumped him as the creative director. Like many of Chloé’s devotees, I had been skeptical of the modern shapes and clean lines that he brought to his collections, having been a fan of Phoebe Philo’s bohemian girly aesthetic. Yet, his fall collection was a step in the right direction- beading, floral appliques, statement shoes and billowing chiffon felt distinctly Chloé. However, the powers that be must have already made their decision. Hannah MacGibbon, his replacement, is no stranger to the brand, having worked under Philo for 5 years and recently consulted for Chloé as creative director of its signature perfume. Her pre- spring 09 collection, she characterizes as “Seventies and Eighties clichés”- lace, polka-dots, stiff linen and stylized animal prints. I do hope that Chloé doesn’t turn into a revolving-door house, constantly trying to re-create the magic of Philo. I felt that Melim Andersson was learning how to walk the fine line of staying true to what Chloé’s customers love while moving the house forward and thinking towards the future. That being said, I am a fan of the few images I have seen of MacGibbon’s pieces thus far, such as these structured high-waisted shorts and girly-yet-modern blouse:

To see more of the collection visit WWD.

If you can’t get enough of the Chloé look, be it Philo, Melim Andersson or MacGibbon at the helm, but can’t quite justify the splurge- See by Chloé is a great, pocket- friendly option.

Photo Cred: WWD

Posted on June 30th, 2008 by zuri