Chanel No. 5: My Top 5 Choices for Creative Director
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Former Chanel creative director Virginie Viard
When German-born designer, Karl Lagerfeld, passed in the spring of 2019, the chill of the late winter Parisian air breezed all over the world. Karl dying seemed impossible, he seemed infallible in some way. The first question wasn’t something appropriate like the concerns of how he passed, but more so addressing the giant elephant in the room: Who was going to replace him at Chanel ?
Almost naturally, it was understood that it should be someone not just from the house he famously led for nearly 40 years, but a person who was orchestrated perfectly into his world as an artist. That person was his longtime collaborator, Virginie Viard, who put in over 30 years at the maison herself.
However, she always seemed to be like a fawn learning to use their legs, never quite finding her footing. Her work was polarizing, not always in the best way, but most notably divisive and just downright confusing. The sales were impressive, but like fast food, quantity is not relative to quality. Upon announcing her departure this past June, there was a collective cheer across the fashion community. Now we must wait once again with baited breath to find out who will pen the next chapter of Chanel.
In the meantime, I have some ideas of my dream successor to Madame Viard.
Hedi Slimane
An easy first pick for me, yeah it may seem impractical but frankly he carries the name and insight for such a massive marque. Slimane is known for his classic rock glamor that will send a seismic EKG shockwave into such a prestinly delicate institution like Chanel. He has been heralded since the beginning of his career as prodigal, having something of a midas touch to each luxury brand he comes to. It has been rumored for years about a possible appointment to the brand but now they have been amplified with rumors circulating a possible departure from his role as creative director at French label, Celine, due to diva-like behavior.
Karl wore Hedi’s menswear frequently and even lost weight just to fit into his infamous skinny jeans from his days at Dior Men’s. Hedi could add an interesting frontier of menswear to the variety of offerings as well, androgyny already being a staple code of Chanel’s ethos.
Richard & Laurie Lynn Stark
The husband and wife duo behind the cult Los Angeles-founded jewelry and leather empire Chrome Hearts, are the next ideal choice to helm the coveted empire. The Starks built a legacy on effortless California cool, seeing that juxtaposition against the rigid codes of French couture would be a sight to behold. The Chrome Hearts customer is loyal and has proven they will dish out any expense for the flair of novelty, ranging from sterling silver ketchup bottles to $5,000 guitar straps. The brand does not release financial figures, but the cultural potency is evident, that alone adds to the allure and mystery of such an esteemed capital like Chanel. And like any cult, their most loyal followers will go anywhere with them.
It would for sure add a touch of nostalgia seeing as how the luxury jewelry of the Starks’ brand was a personal favorite of Karl’s. In many photos of his life, you can see his aged hands decadent in the metallic gothic workings of Chrome's masterful craftsmanship. And the ready to wear would be of no question, making a name for themselves with high end leather garments custom made for the likes of Cher, Dua Lipa, and Lenny Kravitz. The design duo having their pulse on the streets and the red carpet is just too perfect to pass up.
Jeremy Scott
The rumors of the reigning King of Camp honing in the position at Chanel have been abuzz for years, just last year Jeremy sheepishly ran from the question at a party in Paris allegedly when he was promptly asked if he was searching for a new pied a terre in regards to a position at the French maison. He did the impossible, resurrecting the misshapen Italian house of Moschino, from redundancy to a global phenomena with humorful collections and splashy campaigns by Steven Meisel.
Most notably, his departure from Moschino was a collection heavily using tweed and playing with the classic shapes of silhouette most attributed to Chanel. Some took it as a possible audition for the position. Karl was an early supporter of Jeremy’s career and he thanked Karl for using his platform to advocate for him upon reflecting on the late designer’s passing.
Marc Jacobs
Standing at just 5’9, Marc Jacobs is by far one of the biggest American giants in the zeitgeist of fashion as we know it. Studying the works of Stephen Sprouse and Andy Warhol, the scrappy street kid went from Parsons grad to esteemed wunderkind almost overnight. From his controversial grunge collection at Perry Ellis to the fantastical world he built as Louis Vuitton’s first ever ready-to-wear creative director, Marc truly is a generational talent.
Since stepping down from Vuitton in 2013, he has focused on expanding his namesake brand and has done so with well curated precision. Hit products like The Tote Bag, the coveted Kiki platform boots which debuted in his SS17 collection, and most notably the brand’s streetwear label, Heavn. One thing Marc understands is the power of reinvention, a power that would be useful at Chanel with its rich and layered grasp across ages and cultures. Every designer that takes the helm will be unfairly compared to Karl, but one who I feel will mirror his unlimited ability to bend the concept of the label would best be Marc.
Martine Rose
Starting her namesake menswear label in 2007, inspired by the dancehall and rave subcultures of London. Martine became a staple in the British fashion space through her diverse reimagining of what menswear could be making her a slow and steady designer on the rise. Most fashion enthusiasts would fondly remember her time as a consultant at Balenciaga, working with the controversial creative director Demna Gvaslia. As Demna began his tenure at the historic institution, he admittedly invited Martine for her input due to his fanfare of her work. She has been credited by the online space for establishing the signature Balenciaga look that Demna has often been credited for on a mainstream consumer level.
So much static around the name, that after the untimely death of Virgil Abloh, it was highly rumored she would take his spot as creative director for Louis Vuitton menswear division. Martine has a classic look, is quite unisex in her design theory, and has the industry ready to support her at such a stage as large as Chanel. I feel like she will ground the brand and hone in on a side of the brand’s masculinity that it is so renowned for.