After 30 years at Chanel, Virginie Viard officially leaves the French label. The brand confirmed the news on June 5 in an official statement to Fashion Businessin which they also thanked Viard for her efforts and ability to “renew the codes of the house while respecting Chanel’s imaginative legacy” during her thirty-year tenure, five of which she spent as imaginative director (after the death of her long-time mentor Karl Lagerfeld).
After graduating from the French fashion school Le Cours Georges, where she specialized in film and theater costumes, Viard began as an assistant to costume designer Dominique Borgfirst. After this low episode, she began her adventure with Chanel in 1987, where she first worked as an embroiderer under Lagerfeld’s leadership. The adolescent creator then followed in the designer’s footsteps when he joined Chloe (for a second career) in the early 1990s and when he eventually returned to Chanel in 1997. Virginie returned to the brand as director of the fashion design studio. She was first promoted to director of Chanel’s imaginative studio, where she managed the haute couture, prêt-à-porter and accessories categories, working with Lagerfeld on all of his collections. After his death in 2019, Viard took over as the fashion house’s artistic imaginative director, and the Chanel Resort Cruise 2020 collection was her first solo show.
And while Lagerfeld often gravitated towards more glamorous and whimsical styles, Viard quickly became known for her practicality, approachability and commitment to fine craftsmanship. Under her leadership, the brand achieved historic sales growth in 2023, with revenue reaching a staggering $19.7 billion, up 16% year-over-year. reporting By B with F.
The brand has not yet named a successor to Viard, stating only that “a fresh imaginative organization will be announced in due course.”
