Originally launched in 1945 as a children's made-to-measure shoe business for petits pieds d'anges, the French luxury house expanded during the sixties with adult footwear, handbags, and a women's ready-to-wear collection of couture sportswear or "fashion for everyone." During this time, Celine was one of the first luxury brands to open up distribution to Japan, and their focus on international expansion continued over the next few decades. Besides their flagship Left Bank boutique, shops can be found in cosmopolitan cities such as Monte Carlo, Geneva, Hong Kong, and Rome, where the high-end wearable separates, such as swinging skirts, fitted shirts, and soft knits and accessories—belts, boots, shoes, and bags—with a distinct sexy, city-girl appeal are sold. Helmed for over forty years by Madame Céline Vipiana, Michael Kors took the reins in 1997, but upon his departure in 2004, the collection lost much of the buzz he brought to the label as head designer. After Kors, ex-Burberry designer Roberto Menichetti struggled for one year as head designer. He was succeeded by Ivana Omazic, and in September 2008 the label announced that ex-Chloe visionary Phoebe Philo would step in to take the reins, beginning with a fall 2009 collection.
