Viard’s Chanel comes into sharper focus with tribute to Coco

Designer pivots collection away from Lagerfeld’s legacy to reconnect with spirit of founder

One year after she replaced Karl Lagerfeld at the helm of Chanel, the design studio has truly entered the age of Virginie Viard. The loss of the Kaiser inevitably overshadowed Viard’s first Chanel collections, so her outings have until now been defined by Lagerfeld’s absence: the first ready-to-wear, the first couture show, the first cruise and Métiers d’art shows without Karl were all measured against what had been before.

The ghost of Lagerfeld is receding, and Viard’s Chanel coming into sharper focus – with a few surprises. Having been Karl’s righthand woman for 36 years, Viard was Chanel’s continuity candidate. But she is pivoting the brand away from his legacy and back to its roots, reconnecting the house to the life and work of Coco Chanel.