AS AN aspiring designer, the teenaged Phoebe Philo caused shock by dyeing her dog bright pink and, as a student, she made a pair of shoes out of prawns. Yesterday this most influential of designers stunned the fashion world — not with a new and outlandish creation but by announcing that she was resigning her coveted position to devote herself to motherhood.

Philo, 32, who succeeded Stella McCartney as creative director at the French fashion house Chloé, said that she was leaving her job for “family reasons”. The British Designer of the Year in 2004 said her intention was “especially to spend more time with my new baby in the coming months”.

Rumours have been circulating for months that Philo was struggling to combine the exhausting roles of being a mother and the demands of a high-profile job that required her to commute between London and Paris. She and her husband Max Wigram, an art dealer, have a one-year-old daughter, Maya.

Nevertheless the industry, with its single­minded, peripatetic workforce, is stunned by her departure, not least because last year she signed up for another four years.

Ralph Toledano, Chloé’s president, had also encouraged Philo to open a satellite studio near her home in northwest London.

She arrived at the company in 1997 as McCartney’s chosen assistant and the two Britons, both graduates of Central St Martins, set about transforming a fusty label into a pioneering brand.

In 2001, when McCartney left to establish her own label, Philo was the surprise choice to take over. She nurtured the label into something that was less overtly influenced by the street, but no less attuned to the times.

It was Philo who pitched a nostalgic yet knowing and sexy romanticism to a generation of affluent post-feminists who had no problems wearing delicate ruffles and ribbons.

Chloé’s biggest fan is said to be Kylie Minogue and the label’s creations have also been worn by Nicole Kidman, Scarlett Johansson and Sienna Miller. High street stores have paid homage to her work with Tesco, Zara, Top Shop, Primark and H&M all producing “tributes” to her work. The Tesco version of her turquoise halterneck Grecian dress sold out so quickly that it sparked a bidding war on internet auction sites. The £19 dress fetched £50 and more on eBay.

Philo’s clothes are currently said to be the most copied by chain stores. She confirmed her knack for tuning into the fashion Zeitgeist last year with the Paddington, a squashy leather bag, festooned with padlocks, with a starting price of £750. It sold out before the first one even arrived in a store.

Chloé’s parent company, the Richemont group, does not publish sales figures but educated estimates put its annual wholesale turnover at about £200 million. Philo’s unfailing instincts for what women with a youthful attitude wish to wear — immensely pretty, feminine yet modern clothes — is credited with bringing that success. She was rewarded with a six-figure salary.

Richard Gray, of Harvey Nichols, says Philo’s designs “don’t reinvent the fashion wheel, but are always what everyone wants to wear”.

Harriet Quick, features editor at Vogue, said: “It is unusual to see someone leave such a great creative role at the peak of their influence, but the workload of a modern designer has increased tenfold in the past five years because of market demands for more lines and products. It must be an incredible pressure.”

CONTENDERS

Roland Mouret Hotly tipped after he resigned from the company bearing his name in October. But could the creator of the structured Galaxy dress soften his silhouette?

Derek Lam Young New Yorker of Chinese descent trained under Michael Kors and loves “Jackie O” shapes in pretty silk fabrics; an easy transition to the feminine ethos at Chloé

Giles Deacon Could be second time lucky for the darling of London Fashion Week who nearly got the top job at Givenchy

In house team Philo was promoted from within, so another team member could be propelled into the limelight

Kookai design team An outside chance. They already know the look: Kookai faced legal action for copying Chloé’s Silverado bag. After going into administration, they could be job hunting

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