It’s the end of an era! After three decades of dedicated service, Virginie Viard, the creative force behind Chanel, is stepping down from her role.
Viard, who has been Chanel’s artistic director for the past five years, has been a pivotal figure in the evolution of the fashion house’s fashion collections. Her departure was officially confirmed by Chanel on Wednesday through Vogue Business.
Chanel’s statement highlighted Viard’s significant impact on the brand, noting her ability to innovate while maintaining the core essence of Chanel’s creative legacy.
“Chanel confirms the departure of Virginie Viard after a rich collaboration of five years as artistic director of fashion collections, during which she was able to renew the codes of the house while respecting the creative heritage of Chanel, and almost thirty years within the house,” the statement read.
The fashion house has expressed its gratitude to Viard for her substantial contributions to Chanel’s enduring creativity and vitality. They also mentioned that details about a new creative structure will be disclosed soon.
Viard took over as creative director in 2019 following Karl Lagerfeld’s death and has since played a crucial role in guiding the brand through a period of transformation. While her creative impact will be missed, this sets the stage for a new chapter in Chanel’s storied history.