Virginie Viard, who was the late Karl Lagerfeld’s “right and left hand” for more than 30 years, is stepping out from the legendary designer’s formidable shadow to take over as Chanel’s creative director. Chanel announced Viard’s nomination “so that the legacy of Gabrielle Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld can live on” at the same time as it confirmed Lagerfeld’s death on Tuesday aged 85. Viard declines to reveal her age, as is common in the fashion world.
