History

Chlo
has employed several of contemporary fashion's most influential designers in the past 40 years. Karl Lagerfeld, who currently serves as creative director for Fendi and Chanel, served two stints as top designer for the house. From 1971 to 1983, Lagerfeld forged a sexy, feminine image for Chlo
that perseveres today. His 1972 Deco collection won him wide acclaim and elevated the house, as well as the designer, to international fame. He departed for Chanel in 1983 but returned in 1993 to replace outgoing designer Martine Sitbon, who brought a more modern look to Chlo
during her tenure.

In 1997, young British designer Stella McCartney took the helm of the fashion house, succeeding Lagerfeld in one of the industry's highest-profile positions. Having graduated from London's Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design only two years earlier, McCartney's eponymous collection was already popular among London's fashion scene. This did not silence critics who maintained that McCartney received the position only because of her celebrity parents, ex-Beatle Paul and Linda McCartney, and that the appointment was simply a publicity stunt on the part of Chlo
's owners, the Vend
me.

McCartney's first collection for Chlo
, shown in Paris in October 1997, put to rest any criticism of her abilities as creative director. The collection included signature pieces such as lace camisoles and petticoat skirts that recalled the feminine image submitted by her predecessor. Her ready-to-wear designs elevated Chlo
's profile to new heights in the late 1990s. McCartney, an avid animal-rights activist, refused to work with fur and leather during her tenure at the house.

McCartney announced her departure from Chlo
in early 2001, naming 27-year-old Phoebe Philo as her successor. The move left most in the fashion industry baffled, as Philo was a relative unknown. She had attended Central St. Martins a year behind McCartney and worked under her for only four years, but did not have the credentials typical of designers at any other major house. Again, critics were silenced after the young designer's first collection. Planted firmly at the intersection of casual street chic and whimsical femininity, Philo's designs forged an image that the company calls "luxurious, romantic and quinessentially French." Philo also created several "it" bags during her time at Chlo
exclusive fashion accessories that are in such high demand that having one denotes the carrier's elevated social status. One of such was her Paddington bag, which became a smash hit in 2004 and spawned a slew of knockoffs.

On January 6, 2006, Philo stepped down as creative director for the fashion house in order to spend more time with her young daughter.