Chanel Haute Couture Fall-Winter 2024/25 Runway Without Virginie Viard

Image courtesy: chanel.com

The show must go on . . . as Chanel presented its Fall-Winter 2024/25 Haute Couture with the person who actually designed its collection. A mere 20 days before this show, Creative Director Virginie Viard abruptly left the house – dismissed or disgusted, it could be both.

Read: Speculations on Chanel Ex-Creative Director Virginie Viard

Held at the spectacular Palais Garnier Opera House (hello, Chagall ceiling), there were 46 looks, all created by Viard. Viard, herself, however, was absent from the venue – and any mention during the show. Following a multi-decade career at Chanel and five and one-half years at the creative helm, Viard had no final designer bow, no on-stage acknowledgment of her work as it was, per Chanel “presented by the Fashion Creation Studio.”

As reported at wwd.com, Chanel’s President of Fashion Bruno Pavlovsky thanked and praised Viard for her work. He also declined to comment on the reasons and circumstances of her departure, saying “I think the brand is ready for its next chapter” and “I won’t dwell on the reason why we parted ways. There’s no controversy. If it happened like that, it’s for a good reason, and now we have to look at the future.”

Typical of haute couture groupings, this Chanel collection did not include handbags. Rather, the focus is on the clothing – for those who seek custom-fitted high-end fashion, not available in stores.

Chanel describes it as “sophisticated and theatrical . . . ming[ling] the worlds of the opera and CHANEL Haute Couture. RIchly embroidered, the collection imbues the House codes with a romantic twist.”

Here, suits and dresses dominated the runway, as did shades of black and white, sprinkled with pink and a bright purple, and blows and sparkle. Opening with a black billowing coat covering a white bodysuit (or swimsuit), the presentation closed with a frothy beaded white wedding gown. Generally, however, the designs read as wearable rather than fashion-forward, likely spectacular in the selection of fabrics.

Image courtesy: chanel.com

Below are some of the designs from Viard’s last collection. Would you order any of these – and which – if given the opportunity (and funds)? Alternatively, do you question whether these pieces are special enough for Haute Couture? Let us know what you think.