After weeks of speculation and amid the crazy game of musical chairs in the fashion world atm, it was officially announced yesterday that Matthieu Blazy is moving to Chanel, stepping down from his CD role at Bottega Veneta, passing his seat on to Louise Trotter.
Blazy will bring cold, fresh designs and elevate the luxury house: if you look at his work as CD at Bottega, and his past work at Raf Simons, Maison Margiela (he designed Ye’s cult Yeezus Margiela masks) and Phoebe Philo’s time at CELINE, the man’s CV showcases that he has a strong creative vision that he executes with precision.
Since CD Virginie Viard’s departure back in June, the empty seat at Chanel has had the whole industry in whispers over who’s the right person for the job. “[Matthieu’s] audacious personality, his innovative and powerful approach to creation, as well as his dedication to craftsmanship and beautiful materials, will take Chanel in exciting new directions,” Chanel’s fashion president Bruno Pavlovsky said on the announcement.
In the three years that Blazy headed Bottega’s creative direction, he gained clout for presenting one of the best collections in Milan with 10/10 craftsmanship and strong creativity (check his cult trompe d’oeil leathers and intrecciato bags), he made Bottega into a lifestyle – not just a product – that people wanted to invest in.
Chanel will profit from this approach, and the house has been preparing for a new era. After four years, Chanel returned to the Grand Palais in Paris for its SS25 show, signalling a comeback to the Karl Lagerfeld days. During his reign, Lagerfeld built the Chanel world brick by brick: making a lifestyle synonymous with ultimate luxury and sophistication –something Matthieu Blazy just gets.
Matthieu has a refined vibe that really matched Bottega’s aesthetic – which gave him the space to experiment with its heritage, creating hard silhouettes for ready-to-wear and leather accessories. Now under the ultimate fashion powerhouse of Chanel, Blazy has the room to push boundaries and play around with the house’s rich heritage – ultimately, he’ll bring Chanel back to its it-status.
Featured image Bottega Veneta©
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