Is Philo’s DTC Strategy Working?

I really wasn’t planning to write about PBP (Phoebe Bloody Philo) again before the year was out, but I’m so fascinated by her marketing strategy – or, at least, the reaction to it – that I couldn’t resist. When her first eponymous collection dropped on October 30th, it was like the Second Coming. As well as an almighty build-up, its release saw a glut of coverage across all legacy media, fashion mags, business pages, zines, blogs and Tiktok accounts, with people falling over themselves to provide a hot take. 

Fast forward a mere four weeks, and the second drop was greeted with a wall of, if not silence, then certainly one festooned with tumbleweed. Vogue covered it, but it was the exception not the rule. Judging by the timing and the inclusion of a pair of studded gold pants (£850), Drop 2 was Philo’s attempt at partywear. I thought it was stronger, cohesive and more interesting than the first drop, so was fascinated to note that it didn’t sell out as fast. Of course publicity drives sales, but I’d always imagined Philo’s customers to be more devoted than to be influenced by hype alone.

This is a designer who changed womenswear in a meaningful way, and while I’m not expecting everyone to cover every drop for the rest of eternity, nor did I expect them to be over it quite so soon. I would love to know whether Philo’s DTC strategy is working. It’s an audacious one for such a premium brand, as without a catwalk show to drive engagement, it relies on virality through other means. Let’s see what happens next year.