For the past four years, Virginie Viard has been in charge of the iconic house of Chanel. She was what people in the fashion industry call a Creative Director. Now, some might wonder, what is a creative director? Well, a creative director is exactly what the name sounds like: a person in charge of a fashion house who leads the creative process. For example, think of it as the brain of a luxury company. It is the person who creates the outfits, looks, bags, shoes, and, etc. They are the person who decides what goes on the runway.

This role is significant: it can determine whether the brand is refreshed and the latest trending style. It can also decide if the brand is seen as ‘tacky’ or ‘low quality.’ A great example is Miuccia Prada, the creative director of Miu Miu, who has brought the brand back into the spotlight after years of being hidden away. This is just a short-term trend, while someone in the fashion world who has always seemed to hold their name and brand status is Nadège Vanhée-Cybulski. She is the creative designer of Hermès, a fashion house that has been coined as ‘timeless’ for more than a decade. And while Karl Lagerfeld had that effect on Chanel, Viard could not replicate it. Virginie Viard had wonderful visions, taking inspiration from Lagerfeld’s.

However, she had difficulty replicating or creating a line of looks as ‘iconic’ or ‘high quality’ as Lagerfeld. Though she has not made the brand any less high-end, tarnished, or renowned, Chanel has not been in the spotlight since Lagerfeld left. So when the fashion industry announced that Matthieu Blazy was the new creative director, many predicted this could mean a new spotlight on Chanel and creative fashion trends. Blazy first caught the attention of the public eye at 30 as the new creative director for Bottega Veneta. He completely transformed the brand, bringing new light and attention to Veneta. It is said that any fashion house he works with will quickly rise to the top; his touch is like magic. 

With this announcement, people have begun to share their thoughts on what he will do for the 115-year-old fashion house. Many believe that he will steer away from Chanel’s traditional look: “I believe that the future creative director will change the style of Chanel. I think that Chanel will turn away from their iconic classy style and change to a more modern look,” says sophomore Dorothy Wang (10). While he has been known to modify brands to make them more modern, many feel that Chanel could not belong in the contemporary category. Vanessa Xu (10) believes that “Chanel’s new creative director coming from Bottega is definitely unexpected, but I’m also excited to see if he can keep Chanel’s classic vibe while adding a modern twist.” Looking at the predictions, most think he will keep Chanel classic in his own unique way. But what do you think?