Matthieu Blazy: What Connects Bottega Veneta to Chanel

It is, without a doubt, the most shocking news to hit the fashion system this season: after the successes achieved as the creative director of Bottega Veneta, Matthieu Blazy is leaving the Italian brand to take the helm as artistic director of Chanel.

This position, highly coveted yet daunting, comes with immense prestige and equally significant responsibilities. The French fashion house, left without Virginie Viard, was meticulously searching for a designer to lead its new chapter.
Blazy was immediately dubbed fashion’s “golden boy,” and comparisons have been drawn not so much to his recent predecessor but to the man who literally transformed, shaped, and revitalized the Parisian maison: Karl Lagerfeld.

While the two designers may seem to have little in common at first glance, there are actually several elements that connect them. Lagerfeld, at the time of his appointment, was also considered an outsider: he transitioned from Chloé’s ready-to-wear to Fendi, where he managed to infuse innovation into the Roman brand without compromising its roots. It is said that for the Chanel position, Blazy competed with heavyweights like Pierpaolo Piccioli, Hedi Slimane, and Marc Jacobs, to name a few. His work at Bottega Veneta, along with the unique and personal touch he brought to the brand while respecting its heritage, is reportedly what most impressed the Chanel team. They saw in Blazy’s journey a parallel to what Lagerfeld once did at Fendi.

Another similarity between the “Kaiser” and Blazy is undoubtedly their discretion, a quality highly valued in a world dominated by social media and overexposure. This trait recalls the scandals and controversies that affected designers like John Galliano at Dior or the media missteps of Dolce & Gabbana in the Instagram era. Both designers also share a love for animals, though with a twist: Blazy favors dogs, while Lagerfeld was famously devoted to cats (his beloved feline, Choupette, even inherited part of his fortune).

The other major thread connecting the two is their shared passion for art. Lagerfeld explored it in all its forms, from fashion to photography to filmmaking. Blazy, for his part, showcased his artistic sensibility by turning each Bottega Veneta show into a refined homage to design, as evidenced by the Gaetano Pesce chairs and the giant animal-shaped Sacco poufs featured in his presentations.
Chanel’s decision to appoint Blazy was both surprising and unexpected, catching many industry insiders off guard. The designer’s name seemed absent from the fervent speculation surrounding the role in recent months. Yet, upon closer inspection, the similarities between the new creative director and his legendary predecessor are numerous.

Now, it falls to Blazy to uphold this prestigious yet daunting legacy. The fashion world can be an unforgiving judge, but the Franco-Belgian designer appears to have all the tools necessary to succeed. The challenge will be to aim high and hit the target.

Ph: Stefan Strumbel, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons