The latest edition of designer musical chairs seems to confirm all the rumors that have been buzzing around this past Fashion Month. Matthieu Blazy has been named the new artistic director of Chanel, overseeing haute couture, ready-to-wear and accessories, with his tenure set to start in 2025. He succeeds Virginie Viard, who departed this past summer.
“His vision and talent will reinforce the energy of the brand and our position as a leader in luxury,” said Alain Wertheimer, Chanel’s global executive chairman, and Leena Nair, its global CEO, in a joint statement. “Under Bruno Pavlovsky’s leadership, we are confident that Matthieu Blazy will continue to shape what’s next and write a new page in Chanel’s creation.”
“I am thrilled and honored to join the wonderful house of Chanel,” Blazy said in a statement. “I look forward to meeting all the teams and writing this new chapter together.”
The Paris-born designer was most recently the creative director of Bottega Veneta. He was appointed in 2021 and quickly drew plaudits with pieces like trompe l’oeil leather “flannel shirts” and “jeans,” oversized bags, and a particularly viral fringed skirt. For spring 2025, he made a splash with a childlike whimsy-inspired show that included animal-shaped beanbags as seats and elaborate wigs. Today, Louise Trotter was named as his official successor.
After graduating from La Cambre in Brussels, Blazy worked at Raf Simons, Maison Martin Margiela, Celine, and Calvin Klein. While at Margiela, he was revealed to be the anonymous designer who created crystal-encrusted masks for Ye’s Yeezus tour.