Virginie Viard

Virginie Viard is a French designer who spent over three decades at the heart of the House of Chanel, eventually serving as its Artistic Director from 2019 to 2024. A close and long-time collaborator of Karl Lagerfeld, she moved with him from Chloé to Chanel, where she initially led the house's creative studio. Her tenure as the head of the brand was marked by a shift towards a more personal and pragmatic interpretation of its iconic codes, following the passing of Lagerfeld.

Viard matters for her ability to ground the historical grandeur of Chanel in the reality of the modern woman’s life. She successfully maintained the house's position as a global leader in luxury while introducing a softer and more relaxed aesthetic. Her work is recognized for its 'cool girl' French sensibility and its focus on wearability, ensuring that the brand’s heritage of tweed and pearls remained relevant to a contemporary and discerning international audience.

Pragmatic interpretations of iconic house codes define a design language that prioritizes wearability and a 'cool girl' French aesthetic over theatrical display. Casual luxury and layered silhouettes are frequently employed to ground historical grandeur in the reality of contemporary life. There is a recurring emphasis on a more relaxed approach to signature materials, where tweed and pearls are integrated into garments that facilitate ease of movement and daily utility. The work focuses on a silhouette that is sophisticated but remains approachable and unpretentious.

Construction signals emerge through the softening of traditionally rigid structures and the use of fluid tailoring to achieve a sense of effortless grace. Materiality is handled with a focus on tactile comfort, utilizing a diverse range of textures to create a multi-dimensional yet harmonious look. Proportion is handled with a sense of modern restraint, avoiding dramatic hyperbole in favour of a balanced and natural form. By emphasizing the relationship between the garment and the wearer’s lifestyle, the output achieves a balanced aesthetic that values both the artisanal heritage of the house and the practical requirements of the modern woman's wardrobe.