Marc Jacobs at the 2024 CFDA Fashion Awards held at the American Museum of Natural History on October 28, 2024, in New York, New York. (Photo by Lexie Moreland/WWD via Getty Images)
Described as the era of ‘musical chairs’ in fashion, the industry is undergoing an extraordinary reshuffling of creative directors at leading luxury brands. Hardly a week passes without news of another departure, new appointment, or rumors swirling.
This year has already seen major changes: Hedi Slimane departed from Celine, Kim Jones left Fendi, Sarah Burton transitioned from Alexander McQueen to Givenchy, Alessandro Michele moved to Valentino, and Haider Ackermann took over from Peter Hawkings after only a year at Tom Ford.
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Among the most shocking events in fashion has been the sudden exit of Virginie Viard from Chanel in June. At that time, the famed French brand stated that her successor would be announced “in due course,” yet over five months later, the highly desired position remains unoccupied.
As group chats buzz with speculation regarding who might take up the role, one name consistently stands out: Marc Jacobs. And it seems he is quite keen on the position. “There’s only one job I want,” the designer remarked in an interview with the Wall Street Journal this week, “and I haven’t been asked to do it.”
Jacobs, at 61, also revealed that he tried to facilitate the process by asking his close friend Sofia Coppola, who collaborates closely with Chanel, to advocate on his behalf.
“Unfortunately, I’m not in charge,” Coppola shared with the magazine, noting that it would be a “dream” to see Jacobs as the next creative director—an idea echoed by many, thanks to the designer’s dramatic style and tasteful provocations that fans have likened to Karl Lagerfeld, who successfully led Chanel from 1983 until his death in 2019.
It remains unclear if the brand has already reached out to potential candidates of interest or if more time is needed. Should Jacobs land fashion’s most sought-after role, it would mark the first time an American has held the position at the prestigious French house.
PARIS, FRANCE – JUNE 16: Marc Jacobs and Karl Lagerfeld attend the LVMH Prize 2016 Young Fashion Designer event at Fondation Louis Vuitton on June 16, 2016, in Paris, France. (Photo by Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty Images)
Viard resigned as creative director of Chanel after 30 years at the house—five of those as its artistic director, following Lagerfeld’s passing, with whom she collaborated closely. No official reason was given for her exit, but the Maison acknowledged her contributions to its rich history.
“Chanel confirms the departure of Virginie Viard after a fruitful five years as artistic director of fashion collections, during which she successfully renewed the house’s codes while honoring Chanel’s creative legacy, and almost thirty years with the brand,” stated a message shared with Vogue Business. “A new creative structure will be revealed in due course. Chanel expresses its gratitude to Virginie Viard for her remarkable contribution to Chanel’s fashion, creativity, and vitality.”
A version of this article first appeared in Grazia Singapore.
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