Virginie Viard - Designer, Creative Director of Chanel

VIRGINIE VIARD LEAVES CHANEL, WHY IS THE ENTIRE WORLD OF FASHION CELEBRATING?
The fashion world celebrates after the announcement that Virginie Viard is leaving Chanel. What did this woman do so terribly that everyone is so happy about her departure?



Last night, it was strategically announced that Virginie Viard, after five years as creative director, is leaving Chanel. The fashion world welcomed the morning in celebration. If it were physically possible, there would be fireworks going off on Instagram as if it were the new year or at least the soccer world championship. What did this woman do so terribly that everyone is so happy that she is leaving Chanel?

The general public first paid attention to Virginie Viard in December 2018 when she took a bow with Kaiser after the Chanel Metiers D'Art show in New York's Metropolitan. When we rewind, it is clear that it was a kind of announcement, the beginning of a symbolic presentation of the holy fire. Lagerfeld was famous for his reticence, but he always had only words of praise for Viard, calling her in interviews his "right and left hand" and the most important person, not only for him and the atelier, but "for everyone". They worked together at the head of Chanel since 1997, but only he collected laurels while Viard was in the media's shadow. Karl was quite awkward, politically incorrect, obsessive overachiever. A man who consciously and deliberately turned his public image into a caricature, a cartoon character. It is expected that he himself appointed Viard as his successor. It has long been clear that he wanted an heir who would protect his name at least as much as the name Chanel.

Ironically, the morning before her first solo show for the brand, Bruno Pavlovsky, president of Chanel's fashion department, stated that Virginia Viard's approach was: The same, but different. She knows everything about Chanel and is ready to write a new chapter in the brand's history."

The story did not develop like that. Not at the first fashion show on the "empty platform" or in the next five years. The best prediction was the last looks of that first collection inspired by Karl himself, and the last model had a high white collar and a long black dress and white straight hair, just like his. Lagerfeld, perhaps more than all his muses combined, was the face of Chanel. He himself decided to keep it from the grave and, with the help of the company's management, he managed to do it for five years by putting his closest colleague in an unenviable position: Virginie had an impossible task - preserving the Kaiser's cult and at the same time coming out of the shadows the titan who nurtured her.

At some point, Virginie Viard had to move on or hand over control to someone else. The moment came for him to do the latter, and (as I said) there was a popular rejoicing. In a way, this is actually Lagerfeld's real and final departure from the brand, as his guardian of the throne is leaving.

I wouldn't be surprised if there are already bookmakers taking bets on potential replacements. Judging by the comments on social networks, fashion fans are no different from the already mentioned football fans. Favorites spring up from everywhere, and the names are well known to everyone. By the time she took over in 2019, dashing (my slim) hope that Phoebe Philo would take over Chanel, things were much calmer. Now there are lively discussions about whether Hedi Slimane will replace her (please, no), as well as Piccioli (we love drama, so a Michele-Piccioli reunion would be an interesting scenario, especially after Piccioli ransacked the Gucci store in Rome). Instagram included Galliano in the imaginary race, which is hard to imagine when you know that Chanel is owned by a Jewish family. There are also sea ideas about Jeremy Scott (bring back kitch to Chanel, double no) and the two perhaps most meaningful options, Simone Rocha and Marc Jacobs, who in a way led their careers as silent auditions for Chanel. Her aesthetic and a customer base that is comparatively small, but currently unattainable to Chanel due to the energy and cool factor that the brand unsuccessfully pursues with an endless stream of Gen Z stars, would be a good direction provided her spine doesn't snap under corporate pressure. Jacobs has talked about his love for Yves Saint Laurent all his life, but he uses far more of Karl's elements in his designs, and we haven't really seen him in full glory since he left Louis Vuitton. Maybe he rested enough and sharpened up for the second round.

How radical the house will be turned around is still unknown, but the break with Karl is certain and, let's not lie, natural five years after his death. Under Virginia's leadership, Chanel increased revenue (some say solely due to price hikes, khm khm) but the brand's aesthetics and identity became like overpriced dead dogs from Tim Burton movies. We all love them and I will be the first to shed a sentimental tear, but they are no way to live in the moment or to move forward.

Let's be clear, I personally have absolutely nothing against Viard. If anything, I have sympathy for her situation, and the main reason I started writing the lyrics in the first place is the amount of hate being showered on her in the general wave of happiness over her departure. Virginie created decent clothes, preserved the legacy of the man who shaped her life, and at the same time she was crucified because she was not that man. In the eyes of the public, she has no other identity than "she is no match for Karl". For example, I don't believe anyone knows that she did the costumes for the legendary movie "Three Colors Blue". As Susy Menkes would nicely say "... (Viard) deals with both art and music, he can certainly build a more beautiful life for himself than the one in which he is the target of criticism because he is not Mr. Lagerfeld." Good luck, Madame Viard, and I bought some popcorn and "Let the hunger games begin" is ringing in my head.

By Manda Javorina
Text taken from buro247.hr
 
That's what I heard for the last 2 years, clothes struggling, and very unhappy shareholders, both the Wertheimers but especially the Heilbronns, who are the most inclined to be involved in the day-to-day business. Financials are excellent but it's half price increase and half new store opening. They did NOT sold more clothes per store for the last 2 or 3 years. I can't recall them opening productions facilities at all.
That's interesting to me. I live and travel regularly across East Asia, and I've never seen so many people wear Chanel.

In the last five years or so, Chanel seems to have cultivated entirely new groups of customers - a lot younger for one, but also a more aspirational crowd - people that a casual observer of my generation wouldn't even think of as a Chanel customer.

From what I've heard, from friends who work at or work with Chanel, sales are booming across categories, from cosmetics to high jewellery.
 
That's interesting to me. I live and travel regularly across East Asia, and I've never seen so many people wear Chanel.

In the last five years or so, Chanel seems to have cultivated entirely new groups of customers - a lot younger for one, but also a more aspirational crowd - people that a casual observer of my generation wouldn't even think of as a Chanel customer.

From what I've heard, from friends who work at or work with Chanel, sales are booming across categories, from cosmetics to high jewellery.
East Asia has always been the easiest market for Chanel, maybe because it's not afraid of showing consumerism and logo-ed brands.
But Chanel is still complicated in Europe, it's often still seen as a matronly brand except on certain products, if you wear them with a hint of irony and not in full-looks.
 
I hope they will pick someone completely anonymous or internal or new. Quite sick and tired of this prayers for Heidi as if there is only one designer in the world. Let’s get out of that 90’ sentimental hole. There is time for a new crop of designers and someone fresh. I’d love to be surprised!
 
I’m taking this with a large grain of salt.

But kudos for sneaking in your usual and repetitive hatred for I&V into the mix in such a creative way.
Hey Mikel,

Oh god, i really don’t hate Inez & V at all. To be honest, dont care about them at all. I really care for Chanel! My grandma was a couture client, so is my Mom (well, not in the last 5 years). I hated to see Chanel look so cheap. Inez&Vinoudh can do their tackiness at Micheal Kors, but I just hate to see Chanel look so tacky.
Apologies to everyone if I came across like i hate Inez Vinoudh… I really don’t. I just couldn't give a damn about them at all.
 
Elton John "...I thank the Lord..."
Whoever they pick next will need to be able to rein in the suits! That new CFO needs to go. Stop the margin nonsense. If you want margins, go to Zara. Stop making the cheap tweed, buttons that fall apart within months, and glass "pearls" pretending they are refined. Chanel is Chanel, if the CFO doesn't understand what luxury means, kick her out.
 
In my opinion it can only be hedi. Perhaps his introverted nature will reposition Chanel as a truly high end and more discrete thing. Its current form would be much more suited to someone like Marc Jacobs - who in my opinion just doesn’t have the energy and finger on the pulse anymore.

Chanel needs a sharper and more consistent proposition, we saw how hedi did this at Celine, turning it into a mini Chanel. The issue could be that in all his efforts to streamline the house, it will flatten its output to something very superficial. With Karl you always felt that there was world and a person behind it that was truly interesting, hedi is just very far away from a lot of people.
Also we can all question his long term commitment by now.
I absolutely agree with you there. The accessibility snd relatability of the CD is super important at Chanel. It’s a marriage of unequals but a marriage nonetheless. And yes we can certainly expect Hedi to leave after 10 years max. He simply wants the job to tick the box , as if Dior, YSL and Celine weren’t enough. He should just get his own label already.

One factor that many people aren’t mentioning is the fact that Hedi is French. That absolutely works in his favour, makes him more relatable to the suits and the local French clientele. Karl’s fluency in French definitely made him a superstar in France.
 
If Hedi ever takes over (I pray it doesn’t happen), is it the end of Condé Nast and the entire industry as we know it?
The number of editors or publications banned will be significant.
Do you think Anna will cave in when it’s Chanel? But that’s accepting defeat.

If Celine announces Hedi’s departure (the alleged replacement’s already out of RL) then it makes the case stronger. Too much coincidental for sure.
 
It really cant be Hedi unless Chanel plans to be without a CD while his noncompete expires.

Its looking like PPP to be frank…
 
I don't know why the internet is always mean to her? It has become a template for young fashion commentators and personalities like ideservecouture and hautelemode.
those kinds of people are, and always have been, the scum of the internet. the former in particular always speaks as though he has some sort of intellectual disability. not much going on in the brain department. just barely legible, slack-jawed mumblings. it’s embarrassing.

anyways. if it’s hedi (which it will be) the introduction of chanel homme is almost inevitable. i’m afraid it would force me to open my wallet lol
 
Do you think Anna will cave in when it’s Chanel? But that’s accepting defeat.

If Celine announces Hedi’s departure (the alleged replacement’s already out of RL) then it makes the case stronger. Too much coincidental for sure.
But Hedi was really leaving Celine for Chanel, the announcement would have been made yet right?
Couture week is in 3 weeks because of the Olympics so we will probably know by July.

I don’t know what the amount would be to break a clause of non-competition but it’s probably millions.

PPP however don’t have a non competition I believe right? MGC left Valentino and the season after was at Dior.
 
It really cant be Hedi unless Chanel plans to be without a CD while his noncompete expires.

Its looking like PPP to be frank…
PPP got thrown out Valentino for reasons...

Hedi's noncompete doesn't matter, Chanel can wait, they have the financials for (they aren't Gucci or Burberry) and there are certainly many upcoming collections already in the pipeline.

Plus nobody will see a difference between a VV collection or a studio collection.

So Chanel can wait, for Hedi or for Nicolas too.
 
i do not understand why so much hate about her... You just have to read the pity comments from people who are supposed to be "inclusive", "kind" ...
She wasn't Karl of course, but she never pretended to be at his level.
Furthermore, she multiplied by 1,8 the sales since Karl's passing.
She seems to be so normal and down to earth.
So thank you Virginie, you did your best by always being yourself.
And of course it will be Hedi.
The Wertheimers can take a risk when the company was nothing like in the beginning of the eighties with Karl, but when your brand is valued to 100 billions, you will never be a gambler...
Because she tarnished the Chanel brand! (and btw, I'm not on social media, so i have no idea what others are saying except for TPF and TFS)
Have you looked at the clothes in the stores? They are pathetic!
I don't know other regions, but North America is not a market for logo Tshirts and neon color jackets decorated with "curtains" and arts and crafts beads and sequins. That stuff belongs to Temu.
The Wertheimers are smart "long term greed" businessmen. Karl might not be the most earnings producing designer, but he elevated Chanel to the apex of fashion, RTW and Couture.
Their biggest mistake was to hire a consumer brand background CFO. Time to fire her and start over. Or, start to make a line for walmart. Sell Chanel shampoo while she is at it!
 

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