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After months of hypothesis, Chanel has named its new artistic director. On Thursday, Matthieu Blazy — most lately, the inventive director of luxurious Italian label Bottega Veneta — was appointed to one of the crucial high-profile jobs in vogue. Blazy is just the fourth head designer of the French vogue home based in 1910, and follows on from Virginie Viard, Karl Lagerfeld and Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel. In distinction, Dior, based in 1946, has had seven inventive administrators.
In a press launch, Chanel’s president of vogue Bruno Pavlovsky mentioned he was “delighted” with Blazy’s appointment. “I am convinced that he will be able to play with the codes and heritage of the House, through an ongoing dialogue with the studio, our ateliers, and our Maisons d’art,” learn Pavlovsky’s assertion. “His 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.”
The 40-year-old has served greater than 4 years at Bottega Veneta (together with three as its inventive director), the place his collections have steadily amassed reward for his or her distinct imaginative and prescient and elevated playfulness. His trademark has turn into trompe l’oeil seems that gave leather-based the looks of flannel shirts, paper grocery luggage and denim denims, amongst a lot else. Blazy’s inventive innovation has translated to industrial success, too — a conversion that has usually proved troublesome within the vogue trade. While Bottega’s dad or mum firm Kering reported year-on-year income drops for its different large homes, Yves Saint Laurent and Gucci, the Italian label grew its gross sales the primary half of 2024.
Born in Paris, Blazy — who’s French-Belgian — studied at La Cambre visible arts faculty in Brussels. His starry portfolio consists of internships at Balenciaga below Nicholas Ghesquière and for John Galliano. After graduating in 2007, he joined Raf Simons’ eponymous label as a menswear designer and would later work with him at Calvin Klein. He additionally held posts at Maison Margiela and Céline.
Blazy’s model is synonymous with slick, refined tailoring, lashings of leather-based and off-beat accessories — all of which really feel a far cry from Chanel’s heritage quilting and bouclé. But his appointment not solely indicators a visible replace to the Chanel aesthetic, it could even be an try and future-proof the model. In May, Chanel’s international chief govt officer, Leena Nair, acknowledged a “desire to shape what’s next” and outlined how the model’s “long-term perspective” guided their strategy.
Viard, 62, made her exit from Chanel in June after holding the position of artistic director for 5 years following the dying of Lagerfeld in 2019, however her tenure on the home was for much longer. She began at Chanel as an intern in 1987 and went on to turn into Lagerfeld’s deputy for many years, totaling 30 years on the firm. The pair had been so professionally shut, the German designer as soon as described Viard as “my right arm and my left arm.”
Of his new job title, Blazy mentioned in a press launch: “I am thrilled and honored to join the wonderful House of Chanel. I look forward to meeting all the teams and writing this new chapter together.”
On Thursday, Bottega Veneta introduced Louise Trotter as its new inventive director.