After turning Bottega Veneta into fashion’s hottest ticket, Matthieu Blazy embarks on his most monumental challenge yet at Chanel.
Six months after Virginie Viard’s exit left Chanel without a captain, the French maison finally confirmed Matthieu Blazy as its next creative director. For Blazy, the 40-year-old designer who revitalized Bottega Veneta over the past three years, it’s a move that cements his status as one of fashion’s most influential voices. Rumors had swirled for weeks amid a frenzied guessing game, but in December 2024 Chanel made it official: Blazy would trade Bottega’s signature woven leather for Chanel’s trademark tweed. He is set to join the house in April 2025 and present his first collection in October during Paris Fashion Week. It’s a homecoming of sorts for Blazy, a Paris-born talent returning to take on what many call “fashion’s biggest job”, and the industry is already buzzing about how his modern vision will transform the storied brand.
The Art of Hidden Talent
Born in Paris in 1984, Blazy grew up steeped in art (his father is an art expert, his mother a historian). He studied at La Cambre in Brussels, where his graduate collection was so impressive that Raf Simons hired him straight out of school. By 2011, Blazy had joined the anonymous design team at Maison Martin Margiela, crafting avant-garde pieces behind the scenes. In a house that prided itself on secrecy, the young designer remained largely unknown, until fashion journalist Suzy Menkes famously blew his cover. “You can’t keep such a talent under wraps,” Menkes declared in July 2014, revealing Blazy as the mastermind behind Margiela’s dazzling Artisanal collection. It was a watershed moment for Blazy, whose work suddenly had his name attached. The great unmasking affirmed what insiders already knew: a visionary designer had been hiding in plain sight, ready for a bigger stage.
Blazy’s post-Margiela ascent continued swiftly. In late 2014, he was handpicked by Phoebe Philo to join her team at Céline, where he lent his meticulous eye to the house’s acclaimed minimalism. By 2016, he had reunited with Raf Simons, this time in New York, as design director for women’s and men’s ready-to-wear at Calvin Klein. Working under Simons at Calvin Klein’s 205W39NYC line honed Blazy’s ability to merge artistic concepts with American pragmatism. He stayed until 2019, when Simons’ abrupt departure ended that chapter. Through these years, Blazy kept a low public profile. He was the consummate deputy: absorbing lessons from fashion’s greats and refining his craft, all while largely avoiding the limelight. It wasn’t until his next move, an unexpected return to Europe, that Matthieu Blazy truly became a name to know.
The Bottega Breakthrough
In 2020, Blazy joined Bottega Veneta in Milan as design director of ready-to-wear under then-creative director Daniel Lee. Following Lee’s sudden exit in late 2021, Kering promoted Blazy to lead the Italian luxury house. Observers initially questioned whether this soft-spoken designer could fill such significant shoes, but Blazy quickly dispelled any doubts. His debut Fall Winter 2022 collection set a sophisticated tone, pushing craftsmanship to new heights and swiftly positioning Bottega Veneta as one of fashion’s most coveted brands.
“The more boundaries you have, the more freedom you can find in the small things.”
— Matthieu Blazy, Vogue (2022)
Blazy soon became known for transforming humble materials into surprising, magical pieces, notably with trompe-l’œil “jeans” crafted entirely from leather. His Spring Summer 2023 collection prominently featured Kate Moss in a casual flannel shirt, plain tank, and those illusionistic leather jeans, delighting audiences when revealed as supple lambskin, a playful twist emblematic of his subtle yet innovative approach. Accessories such as the intrecciato-woven Andiamo bag and knitted leather “sock” slippers swiftly became celebrity favorites, seen on Cardi B and Katy Perry. By late 2023, Bottega Veneta emerged as Kering’s standout performer, achieving notable growth without relying on flashy logos or social media hype, earning Blazy the nickname “the Magician of Milan.”
Crucially, Blazy’s impact at Bottega extended beyond products. In an industry known for big egos, he fostered a distinctly collaborative creative culture. Blazy streamlined the design team, actively integrating artisans and craftspeople into the creative process, ensuring they played meaningful roles in shaping each collection. This inclusive approach energized the house, reflecting Blazy’s emphasis on mutual respect and teamwork.
“I like to work in teams… It’s not me facing products and giving opinions.”
— Matthieu Blazy, Vogue (2022)
The result was a house humming with fresh ideas and renewed energy. Blazy’s runway shows became highlights of Milan Fashion Week, recognized for immersive creativity rather than flashy theatrics. He collaborated with architect Gaetano Pesce on a vibrant, one-of-a-kind set for one season, while another featured playful seating shaped as giant plush animals. Front rows regularly filled with stars like A$AP Rocky, Julianne Moore, Kendall Jenner, and longtime muse Kate Moss. Yet despite celebrity attention, Blazy remained notably understated, consistently letting the work and collective team effort speak louder than personal acclaim. It was this quiet confidence and collaborative ethos that ultimately made him an ideal candidate for Chanel.
Next Chapter at Chanel
With Chanel’s announcement, Blazy steps into a role only two people have truly mastered before: Coco Chanel herself, and Karl Lagerfeld. Succeeding Virginie Viard (Lagerfeld’s studio heir who helmed the brand for five years), Blazy is a fresh outsider tasked with honoring a 115-year legacy while propelling it forward. If that sounds like a daunting balancing act, Chanel’s leadership appears confident he’s up to it. “We have a lot of confidence in Matthieu’s capacity to bring modernity and a different approach to Chanel,” says Bruno Pavlovsky, the house’s fashion president. Pavlovsky notes that the mandate is not to play it safe: “We want him to push, to test… We don’t want to give the feeling that the brand is stuck.” In Blazy, they have a designer who has proven both respect for heritage and an appetite for experimentation.
At Bottega Veneta, he showed a “less is more” sensibility, a pared-back, effortless style that still felt exciting and new. He revitalized a heritage label without resorting to gimmicks, leaning on quality, craft, and a certain cerebral cool factor. Those same qualities could serve Chanel well as it seeks to engage younger luxury consumers without alienating loyalists.
As he prepares to take on Chanel’s ten collections per year, from haute couture to Métiers d’Art, Blazy brings more than just an impeccable resume. He brings a genuine reverence for art, culture, and history that mirrors the ethos of Gabrielle Chanel, combined with a contemporary perspective sharpened by years at the vanguard of fashion. He’s as likely to reference Dutch still-life paintings or underground photography as he is to cite the house archives. Blazy has often stressed the importance of creativity beyond the runway, drawing inspiration from far outside the traditional fashion bubble. That curious, open-minded approach suggests he’ll treat Chanel not as a museum piece, but as a living, evolving world of ideas.
“If I do just fashion, I will go cuckoo.”
— Matthieu Blazy, Financial Times (2024)
Now, all eyes are on what Matthieu Blazy will bring to 31 Rue Cambon. Will he introduce a new trompe-l’œil twist on Chanel’s classic tweeds? Will he imbue the collections with the kind of cultural currency that made his Bottega campaigns so compelling? One thing is certain: expectations are sky-high. Yet Blazy has never been one for bombast or hype. As he takes the creative reins at Chanel, he does so with the same quiet confidence that has defined his journey so far. In an era hungry for authenticity and fresh vision, Blazy’s blend of humility and brilliance might be exactly what this grand maison needs. Fashion’s “magician of Milan” has arrived in Paris, and he’s about to cast his spell on Chanel’s next chapter.
