Viard will oversee all haute couture, ready-to-wear and accessories going forward as Lagerfeld’s longstanding right-hand woman is officially appointed artistic director of fashion collections. Eric Pfrunder, Chanel’s director of image for the last three decades, will stay as artistic director of fashion image. “[Chanel chief executive officer] Alain Wertheimer confirms his confidence in the team that worked with Karl Lagerfeld for over 30 years, and in all the fashion teams at Chanel under the leadership of Bruno Pavlovsky, fashion president for the house, to further develop the creativity and vitality of fashion at Chanel,” the company said in a statement.
Viard’s appointment promises continuity, but it is also a landmark moment at the house. Not since Gabrielle Chanel first introduced her brand to the world in 1910 has another woman been at its head. After joining Chanel as an intern in 1987 and following Lagerfeld to Chloé in 1992 and 1997, Viard took on the role of coordinator for Chanel haute couture, and then ready-to-wear in 2000. She has been taking a bow alongside Lagerfeld since the cruise 2019 show in May 2018, and took a solo turn around the Grand Palais at the close of the couture spring/summer 2019 show in January, when Chanel announced that Lagerfeld was “feeling tired”. The first presentation without the legendary creative director, who built up an insurmountable legacy over his 36 years as its leader, will be emotional for Viard and everyone invited to the witness Lagerfeld's last work for the house.
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