Since the designer’s death in 2019, Virginie Viard, 62, devotedly assumed the role of Karl Lagerfeld’s right-hand woman for more than two decades, before taking up this prominent position

On Thursday 6 June, the haute couture house Chanel announced the departure of Virginie Viard, its artistic director, without naming a successor for the time being. After five successful years as artistic director of fashion collections, Virginie Viard is stepping down. The group said that a new creative organisation would be announced at a later date, but that the summer 2024 haute couture collection would be presented as planned on 25 June at the Opéra Garnier.

This show will mark the last presentation of the house under the direction of Virginie Viard, 62, who took up her post in 2019, succeeding Karl Lagerfeld after a long collaboration of more than twenty years by his side. Chanel expressed its gratitude to Virginie Viard for her remarkable contribution to the brand’s fashion, praising her creativity and dynamism.

During his five-year tenure at the helm of Chanel’s collections, the house’s sales reached record levels, peaking at almost $20 billion in 2023, marking an exceptional year with a 14.6% increase. However, his work has been subject to criticism in the fashion industry, particularly for designs that are sometimes deemed risky or lacking in daring. Despite this, one of her most popular collections was her March collection, inspired by the Normandy seaside resort of Deauville and its iconic boards from the history of cinema.

Known for her discretion and sobriety, Virginie Viard stands out for her simple style, often wearing a black T-shirt and trousers, in contrast to the flamboyance of her mentor.