[2] After obtaining a degree in graphic design while attending school in Brussels, he returned to education to study fashion at Antwerp's Academie Royale des Beaux-Arts.
When I saw all those hair and makeup teams, I thought, I can do that.”[3] After graduating in 1993, Philips built up his portfolio by doing test shoots with aspiring photographers and stylists, including Willy Vanderperre, and Olivier Rizzo.
[5] He came to the attention of Karl Lagerfeld while the designer was at Fendi's helm, and was eventually invited to meet the then creative directors of Chanel Make-up, Heidi Morawetz and Dominique Moncourtois, who had jointly held the position for more than 30 years.
[3] Philips is credited with the reinvigoration of the fashion house's beauty division, his range of trend-setting collections included the 2009 sell-out nail polish colour Jade Le Vernis - a bottle of which was reportedly resold on eBay for $100.
[3] For Chanel's spring 2014 show, he designed a well-received selection of eye makeup in "bold swipes of color" made from common fingerpaints.