Few figures have been as influential in shaping modern haute couture(高级定制时装) as Karl Lagerfeld(香奈儿前创意总监), creative director of Chanel from 1983 until his death in 2019. His 36-year stint(任职期) at the maison brought not only fresh designs after years of creative stagnation(创意停滞), but also extravagant(奢侈的，铺张的)—and occasionally bizarre(奇异的，古怪的)—fashion shows that wowed magazine editors and wealthy shoppers alike.
很少有人像卡尔·拉格斐那样对现代高级定制时装产生如此深远的影响，他从1983年起担任香奈儿创意总监直至2019年去世。他在香奈儿的36年任期不仅带来了多年创意停滞后的新鲜设计，还呈现了奢华——有时甚至是怪诞——的时装秀，让杂志编辑和富裕购物者都为之惊叹。
His long-time deputy(副手，副职), Virginie Viard, proved an uninspired(缺乏创意的，平庸的) choice as his successor. Although sales rose by half during her five-year tenure(任期), that growth came largely through price hikes(价格上涨) during the post-pandemic luxury boom. Fashion critics soured on(对……失去好感) the brand. Amid a wider downturn(低迷，衰退) in the industry, sales at the world’s second-biggest luxury label fell by 4% in 2024, with operating profit(营业利润) down by 30%.
他的长期副手维吉妮·维娅被证明是一个乏味的继任者。尽管在她五年的任期内销售额增长了一半，但这主要来自疫情后奢侈品繁荣期间的价格上涨。时尚评论家们对香奈儿失去了好感。在行业整体低迷的背景下，这个全球第二大奢侈品牌的销售额在2024年下降了4%，营业利润下降了30%。
Lately, however, Chanel has been regaining its shine(重新焕发光彩). On May 19th the private company, which is owned by brothers Alain and Gérard Wertheimer, reported that its sales and operating profit were up by 2% and 5%, respectively, last year. In the first quarter of this year Chanel for the first time topped a ranking(登顶排行榜) of the hottest labels in fashion maintained by Lyst, an e-commerce site. Two of its wares(商品，产品), a pair of square-toe pumps(方头高跟鞋) and a chunky(厚实的，粗壮的) handbag, numbered among(被列为……之一) the ten most desirable products as measured by social-media chatter(社交媒体热议). During the most recent Lunar New Year holiday in China, analysts at Bernstein, a broker, counted a 130% increase in foot traffic(客流量) at Chanel’s stores in luxury malls. Its shops in New York and London have experienced a similar upswell(激增，高涨) in visitors.
然而，最近香奈儿重新焕发光彩。5月19日，这家由兄弟阿兰·韦特海默和杰拉德·韦特海默所有的私营公司报告称，去年其销售额和营业利润分别增长了2%和5%。今年第一季度，香奈儿首次在电商网站Lyst维护的时尚最热门品牌排名中登顶。其两款产品——一双方头高跟鞋和一款厚实的手提包——跻身社交媒体热议度最高的十大最受欢迎产品之列。在最近的中国农历新年假期期间，经纪公司伯恩斯坦的分析师统计出，香奈儿在奢侈品商场的门店客流量增长了130%。其在纽约和伦敦的门店也出现了类似的游客激增。