Matthieu Blazy is Officially Chanel's New CD
Chanel has officially revealed Matthieu Blazy as its new creative director, a major move for the house post-Viard. His debut show featured a celestial "planetarium" set, signaling a more immersive, cinematic direction for runway experiences. Reviews of the first collection note a focus on tactile artisanship, balancing house codes with Blazy's signature material modernity.
Matthieu Blazy is only the fourth creative director in Chanel's history, following Gabrielle Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld, and Virginie Viard. His appointment signals a strategic shift away from celebrity-style creative directors and back toward pure, product-focused design leadership. Before Chanel, Blazy's three-year tenure at Bottega Veneta was a commercial and critical success, making it one of the few Kering-owned brands to show strong growth in a challenging market. He became known for his mastery of "quiet luxury," creating buzzworthy accessories like the Sardine and Andiamo bags and viral moments with celebrities like Kendall Jenner and Jacob Elordi. His design signature involves a deep focus on innovative craftsmanship, particularly his use of trompe-l'œil techniques to create garments like leather pants that appear to be denim. This hands-on, material-first approach is expected to deeply integrate with Chanel's own network of specialist ateliers, known as the Métiers d'Art. Blazy’s predecessor, Virginie Viard, was Karl Lagerfeld's handpicked successor and had been with the house for over 30 years. Despite her departure, Chanel's revenues had doubled during her five-year tenure, reaching nearly $20 billion in 2023. The appointment is part of a broader industry-wide game of musical chairs, with other major houses also seeing leadership changes. Rumored candidates for the Chanel role reportedly included Hedi Slimane, Pierpaolo Piccioli, and John Galliano, making Blazy's selection a decisive move for the brand's future direction. Blazy is known for a collaborative and hands-on leadership style, often working directly within the atelier. His creative process draws inspiration from adjacent worlds, including collaborations with artists and architects like Gaetano Pesce for runway sets, aligning with a more cross-disciplinary approach to brand world-building. His red carpet strategy at Bottega Veneta was highly effective, creating memorable moments with stars like Margot Robbie, Julianne Moore, and Ayo Edebiri. This track record is crucial for Chanel, where celebrity dressing and brand visibility are key components of its global strategy.
