Virginie Viar, a comrade-in-law and friend of Karl Lagerfeld who left us, was appointed Chanel's Creative Director Here are the facts about Viar that will help to better understand her herself, her style and her work.
1. Virginie spent her childhood and youth in a fashion-loving family
Virginie Viard was born in 1962. She grew up in Dijon (Burgundy, France). According to Virginie herself, her whole family has always loved fashion. Grandfather Viar was engaged in the production of fabrics, and mother and grandmother, as Wiar recalls, "constantly sewed." Virginia was also carried away by this. At the age of 20, the future head of Chanel with a girlfriend created her own clothing brand called Nirvana - while there was no orientation on the style of Kurt Cobain in their models. According to Virginia, they used fabrics provided by their grandfather, and the styles were pretty simple.
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2. Before joining the fashion industry, Viar was involved in the creation of costumes for theater and cinema.
“I was fascinated by the fashion industry, but most of all then I wanted to create theatrical costumes,” Viard tells about the beginning of my career. “I began to create costumes, working as an assistant to Dominic Borg, in particular, on the film“ Camilla Claudel. ”(Dominic Borg - French actress and costume designer; winner of the César Award, including for the costumes for the film Camille Claudel (France, 1988).) - BurdaStyle.ru.) I also worked on costumes for several other films and theatrical productions, while I didn’t meet Karl ... "For some time, Virginie was engaged in fashion and costumes at the same time, until she finally chose the first.
3. Starting to work with Lagerfeld, Virginie no longer parted with him
Viar joined Chanel in 1987 as an intern at the embroidery studio. After 4 years, she became a studio director: after assessing the talent and potential of Virginie, she was appointed to this position by Lagerfeld himself. When the maestro created collections for Chloé in 1992-1997, Viar followed him. “To be honest, I did not notice a significant difference, because I still worked with Carl,” says Virginie. In Chanel, she returned as the coordinator of haute couture, and in 2000 she began to engage in ready-to-wear collections. Until the death of Lagerfeld, they worked together.
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4. Viar and Lagerfeld were connected not only by work, but also by friendship and respect
Karl Lagerfeld not only called Virginie an indispensable assistant, but characterized their relationship as "deep affection and true friendship." At the same time, she herself admitted that she calls the maestro “You” (“And I like it!”), But she is not silent if she disagrees with him in some way (“When I have something to say, I tell him!”). “We surprisingly get along with each other,” Viard said in an interview. “He supports me, and I support him.”
5. "Karl is the locomotive, and Virginia is the Chanel rails" - Loic Prizhan
Virgin Viard was called the “right and left hand” of Karl Lagerfeld, comparing her work with the way the conductor brings the composer's ideas to life so that the performance comes out as grandiose as possible. The creative director of the House was Lagerfeld, but a lot depended on the work of Viar. It was she who was responsible for translating the ideas and sketches of the maestro into life, from the purchase of fabrics and accessories to quality control of finished products. "Karl is the locomotive, and Virginia is the Chanel rails," said Loik Prizhan, a documentary who repeatedly shot the preparations and shows of Chanel collections.
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6. Prior to the new appointment, Viard was called the Gray Cardinal Chanel
Despite the significant contribution of Virginie Viar to the work of the Chanel House and her warm relations and close cooperation with Karl Lagerfeld, for many years she remained not the most public person.Virginie was not actively involved in social networks, rarely became the heroine of large media publications, her name was not included in the 500 Business of Fashion list (a list of “people who form the fashion industry”, annually compiled and published by The Business of Fashion based on research and collection of reputable opinions). Viar was called the "gray cardinal of Chanel": influencing a lot, she herself remained in the shadows.
7. Wiar's reputation: moderation and constancy
At the same time, when the press (mostly French) wrote about Viard, respect for her always felt respect and even some kind of reverence - in particular, her discretion, moderation and constancy were praised.
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8. Viar Style: "My goal is to be like no one else"
Virginie Viar loves to dress in black - in particular, black jeans (most often - Chanel) and chic jackets or jackets, somewhat similar to those that Lagerfeld loved. She rarely puts on high-heeled shoes ("I'm tall and I don't really like to emphasize this additionally"). Among her preferences not related to Chanel, Stella McCartney, Balenciaga, Maison Margiela and Comme des Garçons can be noted over the years. Speaking of his own style, Virginie declares: "My goal is to be like no one else."
9. "I have always been a Chanel girl," - Virginie Viar
When Madame Figaro, a journalist, asked Viar in 2017 what “Chanel Girl” means to her, Virginie replied: “Since I have always been a Chanel girl, I don’t know how to be someone else.”
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10. "So that the legacy of Chanel and Lagerfeld can live," - management Chanel
Virginie Viar, Karl Lagerfeld and the godson Maestro Hudson Kronig
Some time ago, Virginie, contrary to tradition, began to appear to the public. She went to bow with Lagerfeld on several recent shows (in particular, in May and December last year). Even then, opinions began to appear: did the maestro thus represent his successor? In January 2019, one appeared on the Viar show: Karl Lagerfeld was unable to bow because of poor health (officially - due to fatigue). After the news of the death of Karl Lagerfeld on February 19, the leadership announced a new appointment almost immediately, on February 20. The official statement said that Alain Wertheimer, Chanel’s chief executive, commissioned Virginie Wiar to “do creative work for the collections so that Gabrielle Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld’s legacy can live.”
Photo: @chanelofficial, @tsingapore, @voguemexico, @karllagerfeld, @moimoibcn, @fashionpivot
