“Mon Dieu!”: What Has Happened to Chanel?

Cristobal Balenciaga is not the only prominent creator who must be rolling over in their grave. Coco Chanel, a genius of modernism and a woman who redefined fashion, cannot possibly be happy with what she sees at Chanel. Sorry to say, but I just cannot warm up to Virginie Viard, who took over as creative director of Chanel following Karl Lagerfeld’s death in 2019.

This is a difficult time for the fashion business. Still, it should be a good time for an authentic, historic fashion label steeped in rich heritage and iconography, such as Chanel. This makes Virginie Viard’s continually unremarkable vision of the house mystifying and confounding.

What is needed now is a creative force that can draw on the spirit of Coco and, at the same time, bring excitement to the house.

Like many others in the media, I was rooting for Virginie Viard’s success. The 60-year-old designer indeed showed promise. After all, Virginie was Karl Lagerfeld’s closest collaborator for more than 30 years. Karl, the subject of an upcoming exhibition at the Met, Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty, May 5 – July 15, 2023, referred to Viard as both his right and left hand, and they apparently worked very well together.

She had the complete endorsement of Karl and Alain Wertheimer, the billionaire co-owner of Chanel’s house. But, since taking over in 2019, Virginie has yet to hit her stride.

A certain elegance and taste level need to be present, and too many consistently unflattering proportions, ditsy prints, fussy flounces, and puerile uses of the CC logo and the camelia. Only some designers will hit a home run each and every time (Karl certainly did not), but the clinkers should not outweigh the high moments.

On December 8, Chanel took its Metiers d’Art Pre Fall 2023 show to Dakar, the capital of Senegal. Many key press members pointed out that the venture could have been a disaster. Seen as an attempt at cultural appropriation, it was a potentially perilous exercise for the French luxury brand. Instead, it was part of an ambitious three-day program immediately following Dakar Fashion Week.

Chanel partnered with local artists, dancers, musicians, and writers, highlighting them both at the presentation and throughout the week. In addition to collaborations with local creatives, a series of long-term initiatives to promote craftsmanship and sustainable farming was set into motion. This is all fine and dandy, but what about the clothes themselves?

Chanel show notes described the collection as inspired by “the pop-soul-fun-disco-punk decade” of the ’70s. But for me, there were many more misses than hits, as usual. In the end, most of it looked overly hippie, fussy, retro, and stuck in a time warp. More Zimmermann than Chanel. Where is the relevance? Where’s the chic modernity associated with the house?

Chanel is now the first European or American luxury brand to stage a fashion show in sub-Saharan Africa. That is commendable. High-minded concepts and social activism are essential for a fashion house, but they shouldn’t have to come at the expense of the brand’s DNA. Where does this leave the clothes?

It’s been a bumpy road for Viard, whose designs are the opposite of the uncomplicated modernity proposed by Coco. The few times Viard has had the most success thus far is with her Haute Couture Collections. Fall 2019 Couture, Viard’s first for the house, was set in a library inspired by the one in Gabrielle Chanel’s daytime apartment on the Rue Cambon. It was chic and rigorously pared down.

Viard undoubtedly found redemption for Fall 2020 Couture, hitting just the right note with a collection inspired by Lagerfeld’s eccentric “punk princesses.” Viard struck a balance between the “grand and casual.” The overall effect was luxurious yet youthful.

Virginie admitted that she purposely went the opposite of what she previously did. Perhaps Viard was listening to criticisms of her past work. Unfortunately, examples like this are few and far between.

More than 50 years after Coco’s death and 110 years after opening her first shop at Rue Cambon, Chanel continues to inspire and amuse, and her label continues to endure when so many others have come and gone. The Chanel Mystique lives on.

Many fashion designers, including Peter Do, Ralph Rucci, Proenza Schouler, Jil Sander’s Lucie and Luke Meier, Thom Browne, and The Row, are far more successful at channeling the essence of Chanel than Viard. I believe if Coco were alive today, she might wear The Row herself

The Olsen twins’ androgynous and minimal approach to luxury for The Row is very much in keeping with Coco’s ultra-modern vision. The design duo would be a perfect fit for Chanel. They could conceivably design both The Row in New York and Chanel in Paris.

I once said that Phoebe Philo would be the ideal candidate to take over at the design helm of Chanel. The former creative director of Celine gave new meaning to glamour and fostered a new mode of dressing built on minimalism, tailoring, and effortless chic principles. In September 2018, people talked about Philo as Karl’s possible replacement after Chanel moved its global headquarters to Philo’s hometown of London.

Like Coco, Philo is known for her uncomplicated style, understated elegance, and sense of freedom. Moreover, Phoebe has a proven track record, knows how to create ‘IT’ bags, and constantly challenges existing notions of what is feminine, beautiful, and attractive.

Speaking of Philo, where is she? On July 12, 2021, Phoebe announced that she was returning to business with an independent clothing and accessories line partially backed by LVMH, her former employer. More information was promised at the beginning of 2022. Since then, we have been waiting to hear something. 2023 will finally be the year?

We can hope!

Latest Comments:

1. 

   I look forward to every article. Thank you.

2. 

   Mary McFadden Designs were sumptuously BEAUTIFUL as is your tribute to her

3. 

   I feel as if my words were delivered by you, Marilyn! Our time was vibrant with beauty as part of…

4. 

   Great insights into New York Fashion Week—finding standout pieces is key!

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   Laurel Marcus…..loved this article, wish I knew about this show. Please do more of this!