Published on June 6, 2024, 10:16 am
Virginie Viard, a long-standing figure at Chanel, is bidding farewell to the company where she initially joined 37 years ago. In her early days, Viard’s focus revolved around embroidery. Upon her return to the iconic fashion house established by Coco Chanel and expanded by Karl Lagerfeld, Viard’s role grew substantially. Once known as Lagerfeld’s indispensable assistant, Viard transitioned from working silently behind the scenes to becoming his selected successor. Her debut for resort 2020 marked a new era for Chanel. While she did not drastically change the landscape, Viard introduced a more laid-back and inclusive approach, particularly concerning size diversity.
Embracing her creative direction, Chanel made history by hosting its inaugural show in Sub-Saharan Africa for pre-fall 2023 – a pioneering move for any Western luxury brand. The collection showcased intricate embroideries, showcasing Viard’s passion and expertise in this craft. Throughout her tenure at Chanel, Viard delved into themes ranging from French street chic to fantasy, sports aesthetics, and seaside allure – each narrative intricately captured within Vogue’s prestigious pages.
Photographers such as Nigel Shafran, Ethan James Green, Annie Leibovitz, Daniel Jackson, Autumn Dewilde, Stefan D Ruiz, Anton Corbjin, Xiangyu Liu, Sean Thomas just to name a few have beautifully documented Viard’s journey through their lens in various issues of Vogue magazine.
As we bid adieu to Virginie Viard at Chanel and anticipate the next chapter of this fashion legacy under new leadership.