Viard has been with the luxury fashion house for almost 30 years, five of those as Karl Lagerfeld’s successor This year, the fashion industry has seen many of its leaders leave their shining posts and some move to another house. The latest addition to that list is Virginie Viard as news about her parting ways with French luxury fashion house Chanel spread on June 5, 2024. A post shared by CHANEL (@chanelofficial) Confirming her exit was the official statement of the brand in a report by Vogue Business.
“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,” it said. A graduate of French fashion school Le Cours Georges, Viard started her journey in Chanel in 1987 working as an intern for haute couture embroidery during then-artistic director Karl Lagerfled’s leadership. When Lagerfeld passed away in February 2019, Viard was announced as his successor.
She ushered in the next era of Chanel with her first solo collection—Cruise 2020 line—playing with the brand’s signature design elements with a nod to the ‘80s and a touch of femininity. Her becoming the new artistic director of the brand was a historic moment as she's the first female designer to lead the house since its founder Gabrielle Chanel. The reason for her departure and who will.