Three years after Daniel Lee’s shocking exit from Bottega Veneta rocked the fashion world, his successor, Matthieu Blazy, is departing his post as Creative Director. The official announcement came in a joint statement from Bottega Veneta and its parent company, Kering.
Just as quickly as his departure was announced, the rumors that had been swirling in the industry for months were confirmed: Matthieu Blazy is Chanel’s new Creative Director.
The news came six months after Karl Lagerfeld’s right hand, Virginie Viard, departed her post. Viard’s Chanel was credited for its wearability and pragmatism. Still, its reception was often average at best.
Following Viard’s exit, everyone from Jacquemus and John Galliano to Marc Jacobs and Hedi Slimane was rumored to take over the impossible task of catapulting Chanel into its next chapter. Given his history, there’s no better person for the job than Blazy, who will join the House in 2025.
A Grand Farewell
Though Blazy spent three years at the brand’s helm, he first joined Bottega Veneta in 2020 as design director. He was steadfast in continuing Lee’s momentum following his sudden departure. Under his tenure, Bottega Veneta has continued to be one of the world’s top-performing luxury brands despite the slowdown in luxury.
According to Vogue, Bottega Veneta’s sales were up 4% in the first three quarters of 2024, outperforming the rest of Kering’s portfolio. Blazy’s continued commitment to the brand’s heritage and craft proved successful, and under his direction, the House released a slew of It-bags like the Andiamo, Hop, and Sardine.
Blazy shared a heartfelt tribute to his time at the House, simply stating, “To the wonderful Bottega teams, thank you for the great adventure.”
Louise Trotter Takes the Helm
As Blazy’s departure was announced, the brand also named Louise Trotter, an alum of Lacoste and most recently Carven, as his successor.
The announcement marks a new chapter for the Bottega Veneta and brings a welcome change to the industry, which has been criticized for its maleness (and whiteness).
Leo Rongone, Bottega Veneta’s CEO, stated, “Her aesthetic seamlessly combines exquisite design with sublime craft and her commitment to cultural advocacy aligns beautifully with our brand vision. Through her sophisticated lens, Bottega Veneta will continue to celebrate its heritage while preserving modern relevance.”
Trotter will begin her post in January, the statement said.
I think he is perfect for the job. He revived Bottega and made it desirable again. He is capable of doing the same for Chanel.
That was Daniel Lee…
Marc Jacobs would have been fantastic I think!
I agree! It would have been exciting to see what he would do at Chanel. When I think of Marc, I think of the early 2000s when both his Marc by Marc and collection lines were imaginative, beautiful and fun. I think he’s still capable of creating like that, even though what he puts out now does not interest me.
Marc Jacobs is no longer relevant in the world of fashion. His personal demons have made him unreliable and even undesirable.
I am not sure what demons you are implying that Marc Jacobs has, however, I do agree that he is no longer relevant. Marc Jacobs has turned his brand into Michael Kors, splashing tacky logos across anything and everything he sells. He would have ruined Chanel.
“Personal demons”? What does this mean, I’m not familiar.
pay it no mind. it’s not actually true.
Looking forward to Blazy’s work for Chanel; I hope he brings something ‘new.’
I’m also eager to see what Trotter has in store for Bottega Veneta.
Whichever the brand, just don’t charge consumers thousands of dollars if the bags are made by Chinese seamstresses toiling for low wages. The premium should reflect Italian or French craftsmen’s skills. If not, the bags are no different from those ‘Made in China’.
The gendering of this statement is something … poor chinese seamstresses versus skilled French/Italian craftsmen.
Would you be okay with Chinese seamstresses making your items for fair wages?
Well, then the reason for buying these brands would diminish significantly, wouldn’t it? Let’s be real. I bought the bags I did, because I liked their style and quality but also trusted the ‘Made in Italy’ or ‘Made in France’ claim. Never did I think I had bought “Well, made in Italy or France but not by the craftsmen you might be thinking of.”
Do you not think it plausible that a person of Chinese descent could be trained by a “French” or “Italian” craftsperson to be their equal?
The craftsmanship in China is very good these days, you could even say better than some Italian factories. This is not the subject though, the wages the people in China get is a fraction of what somebody in Italy / France gets. That is were the issue lies I think.
the saddest fashion news to me.
I have no expectations for exceptional spins of the Chanel codes by Blazy.
He is not a couturier either. But he might be able to make some fun accessories and bags.
I have a hard time seeing him long term for Chanel.
He did the couture for Margiela after Margiela left and did an excellent job