Virginie Viard's book Un regard. Une vie chez Chanel (Stock): told over lunch in June 2024 by one of Chanel's owners, 'We're going to end it here', three weeks before her couture show; the ateliers in tears, talk of a strike
Virginie Viard's book is published by Stock in Paris, and Paris Match ran extracts on 2 October. Her book gives the owner's words in French, "On va s'arrêter là". It also covers her years beside Karl Lagerfeld, to whom she writes a letter after his death. Chanel shows Matthieu Blazy's spring 2027 collection on Monday 5 October at 20:00.
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The post, as it ran
01VIRGINIE VIARD, CHANEL'S CREATIVE DIRECTOR FROM 2019 TO 2024, HAS PUBLISHED HER ACCOUNT OF HOW SHE WAS LET GO. THE BOOK IS UN REGARD. UNE VIE CHEZ CHANEL.
02SHE JOINED CHANEL IN 1987 AS AN INTERN, AND SUCCEEDED KARL LAGERFELD ON HIS DEATH IN 2019.
03IN JUNE 2024, OVER LUNCH, ONE OF CHANEL'S OWNERS TOLD HER: 'WE'RE GOING TO END IT HERE.'
04IT WAS THREE WEEKS BEFORE HER HAUTE COUTURE SHOW.
05PEOPLE FROM THE ATELIERS CAME TO HER IN TEARS. SOME TALKED OF A STRIKE.
06'I KNEW IT WOULD END ONE DAY, BUT PERHAPS NOT THAT DAY, AND NOT LIKE THAT,' SHE SAID ON FRENCH TELEVISION.