CHANEL’S NEXT CHAPTER: WHO WILL BE THE NEW LEADER OF THE WORLD’S BIGGEST FASHION HOUSE?

Virginie Viard, Chanel's last creative director who recently left the position.

On June 5th 2024, fashion industry received the sudden, yet foreseeable, news that Virginie Viard, Karl Lagerfeld’s successor as creative director of Chanel, would leave the position, which she fulfilled since 2019. As the house reportedly increased their revenue by 16% in 2023 for a staggering total of 19.7 billion USD, Viard’s departure would be more related to the criticism that her creative work received, which to many did not accurately reflect the brand’s DNA. Viard has a large following and clientele that appreciates and buys her work, but there was a lack of consistency among the different collections she directed, with some excellent ones like Cruise 2022, and others that didn’t streak the right chord with the public such as Cruise 2024, which was her last collection with Chanel.

Chanel Cruise 2022.

Right away, social media exploded with thousands of opinions and speculations about who could be the next creative director of the biggest fashion brand in the planet. Fashion professionals and fans alike made different forecasts about the subject, mentioning several of the most important designers in the industry. As for myself, there are three creators that I consider the most qualified and likely to occupy this role: Jeremy Scott, Hedi Slimane and John Galliano.

Jeremy Scott and Karl Lagerfeld.

American born and raised Jeremy Scott has had one of the most stellar careers in the industry, ranging from the success of his eponymous brand, his wildly popular collaborations with Adidas, and his post as creative director of Moschino from 2013 to 2023. During those 10 years as the mastermind behind the Italian brand, his deep understanding of his audience, pop culture and his star-studded inner circle, with some of the biggest celebrities on Earth who happily promoted his work, led him to attain huge commercial and critical success. Although Jeremy Scott’s universe may be vastly different than Chanel’s, his ability to understand the authentic spirit of each brand he has worked with and recreate it in a commercially successful way is his biggest strength, and it could be just what Chanel needs right now.

Louis Pisano (@LouisPisano) on X about an alleged interview of Jeremy Scott in Paris for the creative direction of Chanel.

Also, fashion journalist Louis Pisano stated on his X account some months ago that the former creative director of a very camp Italian brand was interviewing in Paris for a major gig with a French brand. The rumors that this was Scott are becoming louder.

Hedi Slimane. Picture: Getty Images.

Hedi Slimane, French designer who has led brands such as Saint Laurent, Dior Homme and currently Celine, is another one of the most mentioned names in the race to take over Chanel. Slimane is known in the industry as one of the creators who has the best understanding of how to renew traditional silhouettes of legendary houses thus making them attractive for the contemporary buyer, as he did by tightening YSL gentlemen suits and making them one of the most iconic looks of the 2010s. His mastery of French couture techniques and sensibilities is one of his biggest strengths, and while as of now there are no signs that he is being considered for the position, it wouldn’t come off as a surprised that he took over the most coveted position at Chanel.

John Galliano. Picture: Getty Images.

Last but not least, Gilbraltar native John Galliano is one of the strongest competitors to become the next creative leader in Chanel. Despite his controversy for racist remarks in 2011 that led to his loss of the position of creative director at Dior, as well as being virtually exiled from the fashion industry, his legacy as one of the biggest designers of the last four decades is undeniable. He created some iconic ítems like the Dior saddle bag, pioneered the use of newspaper print fabrics at Jean Paul Gaultier, and his theatrically charged, extravagant runway shows (which meant both huge media attention and disputes with investors due to the astronomical budgets they needed) are among the most legendary moments in the history of fashion.

Kim Kardashian in a custom Artisanal Maison Margiela look next to John Galliano on the Met Gala 2024. Picture: Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Vogue.

After the work and personal crisis he went through due to the 2011 incidents, Galliano has kept the most quiet profile he could and has had very few public appearances, even while being the creative director of Maison Martin Margiela and rendering good results at this position. However, there are signs that he could be preparing his return to the spotlight of the major fashion houses, in a very slow and calculated way. He was the designer that dressed the most talked about guests at the 2024 Met Gala a few weeks ago, even more than Loewe which was the official sponsor for this year’s edition (lets not forget that every Met Gala look must be personally reviewed and approved by Anna Wintour herself before the gala, and she wouldn’t hesitate to reject Galliano’s work if she wanted to). The release of John Galliano: High and Low, a documentary about his personal and professional trajectory, last May can also be interpreted as a public relations move to improve his image, and as a whole it can be inferred that there is a carefully crafted strategy meant to rebuild his reputation and turn him into a viable option for the biggest brands in the industry, just like Chanel.

There is some time left to wait until there is an announcement of who will be Virginie Viard’s successor, which will be made “in due course” as stated by Chanel’s official statement on the matter. I personally think that Galliano is the most likely candidate to win this race, both because of his career, legacy and talent, and because of his latest media moves which have a clear intention of cleaning his public image. However, and until there is a final decision by the biggest and most influential maison de la mode in the world, everything must be considered as pure speculation.