Virginie Viard worked alongside Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel for over 30 years, but today marked her first solo collection for the house since Lagerfeld's passing in February. Presenting the brand's Cruise 2020 show in Paris, Viard ushered in the next era of Chanel while staying true to Karl's vision.
THE THEME
Throughout his tenure at Chanel, Lagerfeld became known for his over-the-top runway sets and themes—from airports to supermarkets and beaches. For Cruise 2020, the fashion house staged its runway in a Beaux-Arts style train station—with models walking on the train platform alongside the tracks. The show was held in Chanel's go-to Paris venue, the Grand Palais. And according to the brand, its train station set symbolized "the promise of an adventure."
THE COLLECTION
With a total of 79 runway looks, Viard's first solo collection included fresh takes on Chanel signatures like tweed and suiting—staying true to both Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld's aesthetics. But in this new era of Chanel, femininity appears more prominent and was played up with a series of bows adorning blouses, belts, and dresses.
Several looks paid nod to the '80s—from bright colored jackets to Chanel logo pants and boxy tweed blazers.
For the woman heading to the French Riviera, a series of white pants, colorful striped sweaters, and a Jackie O-inspired bandana made appearances.
Pastels and poplins ruled another group of looks on the runway—ranging from feminine suiting to ethereal print dresses.
Viard concluded with a series of looks done in the fashion house's classic white and black color palette. A range of 3-D floral applique dresses closed the show—acting as the real standouts of the collection.
THE BAGS
And as always, it was all eyes on the new range of Chanel bags to debut. Viard introduced new elements to classic bags—like a mini hoop handle done on the classic quilt bag.
Belt bags remained a staple this season—with new tiny iterations and the introduction of a sportier double harness bag.
A tweed Chanel backpack featuring three leather pouches down the front also stood out from the pack.
And of course, there were plenty of new bright and colorful takes on the house's signature styles.
THE FRONT ROW
Many of Chanel's signature crowd attended the show—including Keira Knightley (who revealed her pregnancy), Lily Rose Depp, Vanessa Paradis, Caroline de Maigret, and Claudia Schiffer. Ali MacGraw, who stars in Chanel's latest watch campaign at 80 years old, was also notably in attendance.
Lauren Alexis Fisher is the Senior Editor at Cosmopolitan, overseeing digital content across fashion, lifestyle, beauty, sex, and culture. Previously, she was the Market Editor at Harper’s BAZAAR and has written for publications including WWD, Bustle, and W Magazine. When she’s not busy taste-testing her way through every dirty martini in New York, you can follow her on Instagram for bad jokes, good outfits, and annoying vacation pics.
