Feathers fly as Chanel returns to Paris Fashion Week with a bang

A giant empty cage greeted Chanel’s guests at its return to the Grand Palais on Tuesday. Though perhaps not intentionally symbolic, the décor seemed to capture the current state of the house itself: a majestic structure empty of creative direction. With Virginie Viard’s recent departure, Chanel finds itself at a crossroads, as the fashion world eagerly awaits the appointment of a new creative leader.

Meanwhile, in a powerful step toward embracing diversity, Chanel announced Lupita Nyong’o as its newest ambassador. The appointment of the Oscar-winning actor, who is Kenyan Mexican, comes at a pivotal moment for the French fashion house that had faced criticism in the past for its lack of inclusivity. This move follows the widely-lauded appointment of British-Indian Leena Nair as Chanel’s global chief executive in 2022, making her the only woman of colour at the helm of a major luxury brand.

The spring collection delivered many familiar elements from Chanel’s vast repertoire — chiffon capes, slit skirts, embroidered transparent shirt dresses, trench coats adorned with multicolored feather prints, aviator jackets with Peter Pan collars, total pink or blue tweed looks, and the iconic little black dress that Chanel herself introduced to the world Tweed, jersey, faille, transparent embroidery, sequins, fringe, pastel knits, and sparkling platform shoes all made an appearance, forming a showcase of the house’s signatures.

  Model wears creation as part of the Chanel Spring/Summer 2025 collection presented on Tuesday, in Paris.

Yet despite the breadth and richness of the offering, something was amiss. There was little cohesion, and at times, the collection lacked the unmistakable soul that once characterized Chanel’s shows. A series of foulard-printed gowns seemed out of place — as if borrowed clumsily from another narrative altogether.

With a snip of scissors, Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel freed women from their corsets. Today, Chanel itself needs liberation. The applause at the end of the show, which featured designs that often felt uninspired, was distinctly muted, with critics visibly shifting in their seats.

Chanel is unquestionably a fashion juggernaut, and it will weather this moment of transition. However, there is no overstating the importance of the decision the house now faces. Chanel must find a designer who can reshape and redefine its vision for the future. The industry is rife with speculation. Potential successors include Daniel Roseberry, known for his dramatic work at Schiaparelli, Marc Jacobs, a seasoned classicist with Paris experience, and Nadège Vanhée, the skilled designer from Hermès.

Viard, ousted this summer, succeeded Karl Lagerfeld upon his death in 2019 and was his closest collaborator for decades. She had overseen record sales for chanel, reaching a reported $19.7 billion last year. Ready-to-wear sales reportedly increased 23% during her tenure. Viard was only the third creative director in Chanel’s over 100-year history, following Lagerfeld and legendary founder Chanel herself.

Associated Press