At Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld’s heritage will not be taken by Virginie Viard exclusively. In fact, Alain and Gerard Wertheimer, who are the owners of the fashion house, are thinking of appointing Eric Pfrunder, current image director, to support and flank her. He joined the brand in 1983, together with Lagerferld. He is going to be the art co-director and will oversee the brand’s image, advertising, marketing, clips events and digital experiences, while Viard, who used to be the German designer’s right-hand person, will design haute-couture collections, alongside ready-to-wear and accessories. The owners have confirmed, then, the team who worked and liaised, over the years, with Lagerfeld: they decided to rely on continuity to fill the gap following the designer’s demise. Chief executive officer Alain Wertheimer pointed out, once again, his confidence “in the team who successfully worked together with Karl Lagerfeld for over 30 years, and in all teams under the supervision of Bruno Pavlovsky, to further build up the brand’s creativity and vitality”. Rumours about a possible appointment of Lagerfeld’s substitute and changes in the style department have been contradicted then. Can’t wait to see the last collection, designed by Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel, which is due to be presented on March 5, during the Paris Fashion Week.
In the picture (taken from Shutterstock archive) Karl Lagerfeld and Virginie Viard wave to the public at Chanel’s fashion show in Paris, 2 October 2018.
