How Today’s Chanel Merges Heritage Codes with it-Girl Style

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Bouclé tweed, quilted handbags, statement jewelry—many of Chanel’s conventions remain at its core today. While a mention of the French maison may adjure classical and conservative associations, its establishment was, in many ways, a statement against tradition. The brand’s sporty and mannish silhouettes were blasphemous and yet, at the same time, a foreshadowing of high-fashion’s future. In the wake of Gabrielle Chanel, creative directors have continually sought to preserve the brand’s position as a pillar of luxury fashion. As it strives to appeal to a new generation, Chanel is once again merging its legacy of timeless designs with today’s trends.

Succeeding Karl Lagerfeld, Chanel’s next generation continues in the hands of Creative Director Virginie Viard. Her time-honored colleague was largely credited with bringing the brand back to life, stepping in when the maison’s staples, like its tweed suit, were beginning to age alongside the wealthy women that wore them. Lagerfeld’s 36 years of artistic reign, which effectively saw the injection of Coco’s style codes become intertwined in popular culture, proved a significant body of successes to follow. But Viard, who worked in the shadow of Lagerfeld for a number of years, has only supercharged the brand’s enlivened aesthetic during her time in the spotlight.

Viard took her first bow alongside Lagerfeld on Chanel’s Cruise 2019 runway. Upon Lagerfeld’s passing in February of 2019, the relatively reserved Viard took creative agency. Her solo debut, marked by the maison’s Cruise 2020 collection, offered a gentle transition for the brand emphasizing a sense of sexuality that had previously been absent from the house’s visual repertoire. Channeling her successor’s love of extravagant, themed sets, the Grand Palais was transformed into a Beaux-Arts style train station—a symbol of a new adventure.

Since Viard’s introduction, the brand’s new direction has been characterized by collections filled with reinvented classics and a heightened sense of femininity. Elevated, yet soft silhouettes and red-carpet ready looks permeate Chanel’s reinvented repertoire. Her designs materialize the unique female perspective, one which the brand has not harnessed since Chanel herself was in charge.

The creative director’s reinvigoration of the brand is highlighted across several recent campaigns. Chanel’s muse of the moment, Lily-Rose Depp is the subject of the house’s Cruise 2021 campaign, shot by the Paris-based and internationally-renowned photographer Karim Sadli. Sadli followed the model and actress as she paraded around a courtyard in the region of Paris, seeking to capture the liberated and confident spirit that she and the brand share. The collection itself features cutouts and cropped silhouettes that are trendy, yet exude a ladylike elegance that transcends the seasons. Accompanying the series of playful photographs is a video in which Depp details her favorite pieces from the collection as well as her affinity for its creator.

The creative director has also inducted a new age of Chanel’s accessories. One of Lagerfeld’s last creations, the Chanel 19, introduces the brand’s classic quilting with a twist. The bag was named after the year it was created, in line with the iconic 2.55, which was designed by the maison’s namesake in 1955. The bag’s campaign was left to the advancement of Viard, who called on Sofia Coppola and Steven Meisel to bring its peppy personality to life. Actress Margaret Qualley, Taylor Russel, and Marine Vacth exemplify the versatility and vibrancy of the 19 in a series of short videos and photographs in which they frolic around while sporting the plush, maxi-quilted design.

The newly-established creative’s influence extends beyond her collections and ability to command campaigns, though. She has a knack for understanding the desires of modern it-girls which extends from her designs to how she attracts an inquisitive young audience. Previously, Chanel sought to appeal to a more mature crowd, tapping actresses Nicole Kidman, Ali McGraw, and Catherine Deneuve as brand ambassadors.

Now, alongside longtime friends of the brand, a lineup of fresh faces amplifies Chanel’s dynamic new persona. Collaborators of the brand like Kristen Stewart, Soo Joo Park, Margot Robbie, and Lily-Rose Depp have fronted recent campaigns. And, despite its focus on women’s ready-to-wear, the maison has also extended its reach into streetwear through a unisex capsule collection with Pharrell in 2019. Chanel’s recent ventures into uncharted territory signal Viard’s urge to integrate the brand further into pop culture.

Chanel has continually refreshed its classical image for new generations. It appears that Viard has ushered in a new era for the French maison—one which celebrates the brand’s customs through a contemporary lens.

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