If you are planning to visit la Galerie du 19M Tokyo—it is worth knowing the background that will let you savor the experience more deeply.
The Métiers d’Art begun by Karl Lagerfeld in 2002, and now carried forward by Virginie Viard.
Why not trace this story of legacy yourself, as you prepare to encounter the exhibition?
The Inherited Staircase
In December 2019, another world appeared inside the Grand Palais: that of 31 rue Cambon.
For Virginie Viard, this marked her very first Métiers d’Art collection. At the same time, it was also a reflection of the series first initiated by Karl Lagerfeld in 2002.
2019/20 Metiers d’art Collection Paris 31 rue Cambon @CHANEL
“I always picture the staircase first,” Viard explains.
“I imagine a girl walking down it. What dress is she wearing? What shoes?”
She described this collection as “a return to Chanel’s ABCs.”
■ Explanation: What Are Chanel’s ABCs?
“ABC” refers to the basics, the foundations—just as the first three letters of the alphabet do.
For Chanel, its ABCs are the core codes that shape the brand.
For example:
Tweed: a fabric that transforms everyday wear into elegance
Camellia: the iconic floral motif
Little Black Dress: a symbol of women’s liberation
Pearls and Chains: bridging casual and luxury
Symbolic Numbers (No.5, 19, etc.): elements that build the mythology of the house
■ My Own Perspective
Having experienced startups, I have seen several companies after their charismatic founder stepped away. More often than not, the successor is the No.2 or the trusted right hand. Charismatic figures are the ones who open up entirely new worlds, but their successors take on a different role.
Virginie Viard’s choice, I feel, embodied that role with sincerity. She chose to return to the origins. This was not a retreat but rather a stance of revisiting the foundations in order to move forward. While exploring new forms of expression, she does so without losing sight of the roots—and in that attitude, I see a quiet yet powerful way of creating.
Like jewels, Lemarié’s camellias shine; the minaudière in the shape of the birdcage from Mademoiselle’s apartment (a small evening bag, prized more for its ornamental beauty than practicality); and the tweed lined with tie-dye. Each piece resonates with Chanel’s memory and codes.
“I have completely absorbed the codes of Chanel. I saw how much Karl twisted them, and I grew up here. I am the child of Karl and Gabrielle.” — In these words of Viard, her place within the house is vividly inscribed.
2002: “A Couture Constellation”
Seventeen years earlier, in 2002, Karl Lagerfeld launched the very first Métiers d’Art collection.
The venue was the couture salons of rue Cambon, and the title was “Satellite Love.”
As models smoked cigarettes while listening to Lou Reed, what unfolded was unlike the typical fashion show built around a clear “theme” of concept, season, or story. Instead, it was freed from such constraints—presenting more of an atmosphere, a mood, an attitude, a style in itself.
In this show, Lagerfeld referred to the five ateliers Chanel had recently brought under its wing as “satellites.”
By this he meant that while revolving around a central body—the house of Chanel—each atelier radiated its own distinct craft and light.
The jewelry of Desrues, the feathers and camellias of Lemarié, the embroidery of Lesage, the shoes of Massaro, and the hats of Michel—Lagerfeld positioned each of these like stars, and described their union as a “constellation.”
In other words, these artisan ateliers were not mere subcontracted workshops, but indispensable stars that made up the vast universe of Chanel.
■ Explanation: The Difference Between Satellites and a Constellation
The term “satellites” used by Lagerfeld indicated a functional positioning: ateliers orbiting around Chanel as the central body.
But by reframing them as a “constellation,” he expressed that each atelier was not a peripheral unit, but a star interconnected with others to form a single story, a single cosmos.
He transformed the realistic notion of “satellites” into the poetic and symbolic image of a “constellation.”
■ My Own Perspective
When I first learned about “Satellite Love,” I realized that the often-discussed theme of “the artisan’s hand” was already present here. For Chanel, the ateliers are inseparable, and the naming of them as “satellites” made this truth resonate deeply with me. Moreover, it was clear that Karl himself pledged his commitment to them, expressing it through a collection. That is why this series seemed destined to continue, and why I now look forward to each new presentation with anticipation.
Already by then, Viard had been serving as Karl’s right hand, leading the ateliers behind the scenes. Seventeen years later, in her very first Métiers d’Art collection, she echoed that memory as a tribute.
Encountering the Universe of “19M” in Tokyo
From 2002 to 2019/20, and now toward 2025.
Chanel’s Métiers d’Art collections continue to connect across time, like a constellation.
This lineage will soon be brought to life in an exhibition arriving in Tokyo this autumn.
From September 30 to October 20, 2025, la Galerie du 19M Tokyo will be presented on the 52nd floor of Roppongi Hills Mori Tower.
https://www.chanel.com/jp/fashion/event/opening-gallery-19m-tokyo-2025/
“19M” is the name of the hub facility established by Chanel in 2021 in the northeast of Paris, dedicated to the Métiers d’Art.
Here, ateliers specializing in embroidery, featherwork, shoes, hats, and more are gathered, entrusted with the role of carrying craftsmanship into the future.
Within the building is the exhibition space la Galerie du 19M, which will now travel to Tokyo.
https://www.le19m.com/en/galerie
It will not be a mere “display of craftsmanship,” but rather a place where we can witness with our own eyes the constellation that Viard has inherited, reflected upon, and reimagined anew.
Details of the exhibition have yet to be fully revealed, remaining limited to official announcements and PR releases. However, it is said that Japanese creators such as architect Tsuyoshi Tane and film director Momoko Ando will be involved in a group exhibition.
How these uniquely Japanese perspectives will intersect with “19M” to shape a new constellation is something I look forward to with great anticipation.
Conclusion — Under the Constellation
“I am the child of Karl and Gabrielle.”
Virginie Viard’s words embody the very story of Chanel, connecting past and future.
The Métiers d’Art that Karl began, the constellation in which she herself was nurtured—Viard paid homage to it in her first collection, and continues even now to light it with new brilliance.
In the autumn of 2025, I too will witness the constellation spread across the night sky of Roppongi. I hope to quietly etch that moment into my memory.
Read more about the latest Métiers d’Art collection here
