Designers Switching Houses & Moving to New Brands

[Deleted member 7575]

But they don’t mention Olivier Polge and the creative director for the Jewelry either. The idea is to say that Chanel is great as an entity. It’s also a way for Leena Nair to have her moment even if I doubt that she made drastic/life changing changes at the company.

For me Chanel has lost it position as the driving business force in the industry. Karl maintained the illusion but they have been very safe/conservative in their others categories.

‘But Virginie is a very private person actually. People love her personally, but I’m not sure she was prepared or she enjoys the attention that comes with the position she has.

‘She has never made an interview. She spoke more when she was Karl’s number 2 than now that she is the CD.
She was on the redcarpet with Charlotte and Kristen but I don’t think she poses.

Chanel as a company has never communicated that much than since Virginie took over. Bruno Pavlovski is talking all the time and they are releasing numbers annually it seems when prior to Karl’s death they didn’t for how many years.

I don’t think she is on an ejector seat because I don’t think Chanel thinks long term right now.

We will see next year if changing the faces of Coco Mademoiselle and Bleu was a fruitful choice for the brand.

What surprises me (even tho not really) was the lack of news regarding investment in factories to respond to the challenges of the market regarding accessories. So they will continue to use subcontractors and not have a decent quality control to prevent from the general bad perception the mass has of their accessories…

Well, she IS the CEO. But even Miles Socha doesn't mention Virginie.

Also, Virginie has had plenty of coverage and she HAS given interviews.

She may not be on the chopping block but she is certainly not the center of the Chanel universe the way almost every other creative director is at other brands.

One might even consider her replaceble.

 

[yslforever]

Thanks for the WWD article in the Viard thread, I just want to point out that Chanel growth in 2022 is slower than their own in 2021, and slower than LVMH and Hermès in 2022. It's a solid performance for sure but maybe not the best.

On a second thought, with all their price increase in the last couple of years, I am not sure Chanel with Virginie Viard really sells more (in quantity or sheer numbers) it's more like they sell pricier; i e the same number of items but each one is 15 or 20 % more expensive than in 2020, hence why they are not really improving their production capacities.

 

[style_expert]

‘But Virginie is a very private person actually. People love her personally, but I’m not sure she was prepared or she enjoys the attention that comes with the position she has.

She may not be on the chopping block but she is certainly not the center of the Chanel universe the way almost every other creative director is at other brands.
One might even consider her replaceble.

Well these two combined actually made her the perfect person for Chanel to succeed Karl of course. I don't think it ever was her dream even to become a creative director. In fact, it never looks like she's having any kind of fun or enjoyment (sadly this is reflected in her collections too). She's so low key and discreet and that's a complete departure from the Karl era where the brand Chanel and Karl became almost synonymous at some point. I think she's mostly there to keep the seat warm for another, more genius designer to take over at some point.

Most of that so called fabulous revenue and profit growth can not directly be linked to Virginie. I guess most of their profits comes from fragrance, beauty and then the classic leather goods and shoes, jewelry/watches. All areas in which she doesn't play much of a role and which always will continue to sell well thanks to their marketing and increasingly persistent push of their brand ambassadors.

I don’t think she is on an ejector seat because I don’t think Chanel thinks long term right now.

Why do you think that? I'd say a huge player like Chanel is mostly thinking long term...

 

[Tchi]

Words on who’s replacing Gabriela Hearst after what surely will be her last collection in October at Chloé?

 

[Lola701]

Well these two combined actually made her the perfect person for Chanel to succeed Karl of course. I don't think it ever was her dream even to become a creative director. In fact, it never looks like she's having any kind of fun or enjoyment (sadly this is reflected in her collections too). She's so low key and discreet and that's a complete departure from the Karl era where the brand Chanel and Karl became almost synonymous at some point. I think she's mostly there to keep the seat warm for another, more genius designer to take over at some point.

Most of that so called fabulous revenue and profit growth can not directly be linked to Virginie. I guess most of their profits comes from fragrance, beauty and then the classic leather goods and shoes, jewelry/watches. All areas in which she doesn't play much of a role and which always will continue to sell well thanks to their marketing and increasingly persistent push of their brand ambassadors.


Why do you think that? I'd say a huge player like Chanel is mostly thinking long term...

Fashion drives sales nowadays. That model of fashion being the « faire-valoir » of the accessories and fragrances is no longer the case necessarily.
Of course the price increases are a main factor but it was done to bounce back from the loss across the industry during the pandemic. Big brands are still attractive.

The level of consumption of the runway collections is not the same today as it was 15 years ago. What we see on the runway is just the tip of the iceberg. Those are pieces that gets the most publicity, that will be pre-ordered, produced in limited quantities and probably sold-out by the time they make it to the stores.

So yes, the sales of the clothes cannot match the sales of the accessories (the business wouldn’t be that healthy for a luxury brand in that case) but we cannot dismiss her contribution to the numbers.

Words on who’s replacing Gabriela Hearst after what surely will be her last collection in October at Chloé?

The sales aren’t bad surprisingly. I actually think they will extend her contract.

 

[perhydrol]

^ Let's see. I think they've been missing a huge opportunity to reference their prime time, i.e. the tenure of Phoebe Philo. It would definitely hype the brand up and make it part of the fashion conversation again. However, it's definitely not going to happen under Hearst, who's been turning Chloé into a lifeless beige brand. Not to mention that the F/W 03 collection feels much more current than anything Hearst has presented so far.

 

[Deleted member 7575]

There was a rumor that everyone at Chloe hates working with Gabi and that Clare Waight Keller might return .

But then there was a front page story in WWD that explained how Chloe's management is in it for the long haul with her. As Lola mentioned, sales are very, very strong.

Whatever issues they might have had, it seems like they've resolved it. Given the article, I'd be surprised if they don't renew her contract but a lot can happen between now and October.

 

[LadyJunon]

There was a rumor that everyone at Chloe hates working with Gabi and that Clare Waight Keller might return .

But then there was a front page story in WWD that explained how Chloe's management is in it for the long haul with her. As Lola mentioned, sales are very, very strong.

Whatever issues they might have had, it seems like they've resolved it. Given the article, I'd be surprised if they don't renew her contract but a lot can happen between now and October.

I think that her contract will get renewed. I don't her anyone talking about Chloé on social media, but since it's doing well, it must have good performance in physical stores among women in their 40s and up.

That said, if she's not getting along with the other staff, especially those who have to work closer to Gabriela (the studio team, sourcing, merchandisers, production management), her second term won't end well for her.

 

[Tchi]

Funny, I have been told that sales are worse than Natasha’s tenure. At the same time I don’t think basing your vision for one of the major feminine pret a porter house on full sleeve long leather dresses will be making the client scream with excitement. She’s definitely on the way out, and Hiring Clare would be a mistake for both parties

 

[yslforever]

There was a rumor that everyone at Chloe hates working with Gabi and that Clare Waight Keller might return .

But then there was a front page story in WWD that explained how Chloe's management is in it for the long haul with her. As Lola mentioned, sales are very, very strong.

Whatever issues they might have had, it seems like they've resolved it. Given the article, I'd be surprised if they don't renew her contract but a lot can happen between now and October.

There are persistent rumors than Richemont fashion brands (Alaïa, AZ Factory, Chloé, maybe Dunhill and Delvaux) are on sale - one by one or as a portfolio, as Richemont want to refocus on the jewelry and watches markets, where the renewed competition of Tiffany and Bulgari is hurting Cartier. YNAP would not be concerned.
Richemont fashion companies are consistently underperforming, the group really has a limited know-how with fashion.
None of the potential purchasers I know are enthusiastic, they are interested but not enthusiastic, and they really do not want to launch a bidding war for those brands.
That will be a major contributor to Hearst's future...

 

[LadyJunon]

There are persistent rumors than Richemont fashion brands (Alaïa, AZ Factory, Chloé, maybe Dunhill and Delvaux) are on sale - one by one or as a portfolio, as Richemont want to refocus on the jewelry and watches markets, where the renewed competition of Tiffany and Bulgari is hurting Cartier. YNAP would not be concerned.
Richemont fashion companies are consistently underperforming, the group really has a limited know-how with fashion.
None of the potential purchasers I know are enthusiastic, they are interested but not enthusiastic, and they really do not want to launch a bidding war for those brands.
That will be a major contributor to Hearst's future...

I feel like Chloé and Delvaux could do well under a corporate like LVMH, but I'm extremely scared for Alaïa's future.

 

[Deleted member 7575]

Funny, I have been told that sales are worse than Natasha’s tenure. At the same time I don’t think basing your vision for one of the major feminine pret a porter house on full sleeve long leather dresses will be making the client scream with excitement. She’s definitely on the way out, and Hiring Clare would be a mistake for both parties

It is beyond me how or why they sell but I've heard from multiple sources, including a buyer at Bergdorfs, that they do.

 

[kasper!]

I also thought it was strange that she was absent from the Met Gala's red carpet or from press surrounding the show given that Chanel paid for it and that she helped create many of the pieces on display.

She did show up at the MET GALA and Chanel posted a group photo of all the guests who wore Chanel on social media. She was wearing first look from 2023 F/W.

 

[Avonlea]

That print is hideous

 

[Koibito]

That dress should be burried 10000m underground.

 

[KoV]

Virginie stays for another 1-3 years and then they bring in Daniel Roseberry. That's my completely baseless prediction.

 

[Salvatore]

Virginie stays for another 1-3 years and then they bring in Daniel Roseberry. That's my completely baseless prediction.

I can and cannot see it at the same time. I love Roseberry, but he seems a little too limited for the breadth and depth of scope needed for Chanel. Chanel is the job I can imagine many designers want, but most cannot handle. Virginie had been with Karl for ages at Chanel and yet her design sensibilities are trash.

 

[Deleted member 7575]

She did show up at the MET GALA and Chanel posted a group photo of all the guests who wore Chanel on social media. She was wearing first look from 2023 F/W.

View attachment 1230930 View attachment 1230931

That is not what I said. I said "she was absent from the Met Gala's red carpet."

 

[Gaultier_Bandit]

If you take a look at Loic P latest coverage of the LA show, its clear to see why she sells. Alot of collectibles, a lot of logo, alot of tun things.

 

[JMNYC]

Marc Jacobs at Chanel could also be an interesting proposition. Albeit his designs lately have been quite confused, he does have the skills and imagination to push the house codes forward and create buzz, and yet maintain simple and elegant clothes. Marc Jacobs collection clothes pre-pandemic have always been romantic, simple, and very well made.