Chanel’s artistic director is stepping down after almost 30 years at the French fashion house, following criticism that she had “played it too safe” with recent collections.
Virginie Viard, the former protégé of Karl Lagerfeld who succeeded him after his death, will leave Chanel at the end of this month.
It follows mixed reviews for Ms Viard’s latest shows, which featured muted colours, her signature bow ties and 1980s silhouettes with broad shoulders and oversized jackets.
The Telegraph’s Lisa Armstrong said Ms Viard could be patchy, with some outfits “clunky as total looks”. Another review last October said “some ensembles, though impeccably tailored, played it too safe”.
Ms Viard faced criticism that her shows lacked the buzz that surrounded Chanel under Mr Lagerfield. Mr Lagerfeld, who died in 2019, was known for his theatrical runways, including once building an indoor waterfall for a catwalk presentation.
Ms Viard has adopted a more understated approach, staging catwalks on the streets of Manchester and by the banks of the Seine river.
Mr Lagerfeld, a giant of the fashion world who helped to revive Chanel in the 1980s, once described Ms Viard as “my right arm and my left arm”. An unassuming presence, the 62-year-old followed him when he left for rival fashion house Chloe, returning to Chanel with Mr Lagerfeld in 1997.
Her recent shows took place in locations that were central to Ms Viard’s lengthy career – Marseilles, Manchester and Paris – leading to speculation that she used the shows as her swan song.
Chanel is expected to bring in a more high-profile designer to replace Ms Viard.
Fashion insiders have suggested Chanel could poach Hedi Slimane, the designer of LVMH’s Celine, whose influential skinny silhouettes are said to have prompted Mr Lagerfeld to go on a diet in the early 2000s. His recent collection, unveiled in March, included details that nodded to Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, including short skirts and knee-high boots.
Valentino’s former long-term creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli has also been named as a potential replacement.
Ms Viard’s exit follows months of speculation about her position. Executives had dismissed talk of her imminent departure, with Chanel’s chief financial officer Philippe Blondiaux saying two weeks ago that he was “the happiest in the world to have Virginie as a designer”. Chief executive Leena Nair said customers loved “the silhouette and fit” of her designs.
Luca Solca, an analyst at stock broker Bernstein, said Chanel was suffering from “reducing brand heat and momentum”. He said Chanel “would benefit from new ideas” amid wider pressure on luxury spending.
The French luxury giant warned last month that the market was becoming more challenging. It follows a period of rampant growth at Chanel. Sales are up around 75pc on their 2018 levels after a pandemic boom.. The company revealed revenues had hit $19.7bn (£15.4bn) last year, up 16pc on 2022 levels, thanks to strong demand for its ready-to-wear pieces.
Ms Viard’s departure is part of a significant reshuffle within the luxury fashion industry. Mr Piccioli was replaced by Gucci’s Alessandro Michele earlier this year, one of several changes that analysts have dubbed executive “musical chairs”.
On Thursday, LVMH named Frédéric Arnault as the managing director of Financière Agache. Arnault is the fourth of Bernard Arnault’s children, the family holding company’s billionaire owner.
Chanel said it would announce a new creative team in due course.
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