Virginie Viard presented her first Haute Couture collection without the aid of Karl Lagerfeld, and the Chanel Creative Director took to a bookshop setting to display her 70-looks strong collection.
With the passing of Karl Lagerfeld in February 2019, the fashion world is still adjusting to the loss – least not those at Chanel, for whom he served as Creative Director for some 35 years. But after a lavish exhibition in his memory during Men’s Fashion Week in June and as we explore his successor Virginie Viard’s first solo Couture collection – is it time to finally leave the Karl era of Chanel in the past?
Well, according to the edit from the new Creative Director presented within the Rmn-Grand Palais Museum in Paris – yes and no. While, understandably, Viard didn’t try to reinvent Chanel’s Couture aesthetic, there were some eye-catching pieces across the 70 strong looks of day and evening wear that demonstrated the French designer’s worth.
The show opened with a series floor length coats with a familiar feel thanks to tweed textures and decorated oversized buttons, just the asymmetric cut throwing us off. Designs with detached pockets and accentuated shoulders followed in hues of purple, orange and (naturally) black, and looked were finished with a clean belt around the waist.
Eveningwear came in the form of velvet blazer jackets that morphed into full-length gowns to sleek silky halterneck likewise finished with a belt.
See more of our favourite looks above.
A dress from Chanel’s AW19 Couture collection
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