After much speculation, Matthieu Blazy has been confirmed as the next Artistic Director of Chanel, marking the first external appointment to the role since Karl Lagerfeld was employed to revamp the brand in 1983.
Alain Wertheimer, Global Executive Chairman, and Leena Nair, Global CEO of Chanel, called the designer in a joint statement today “one of the most gifted designers of his generation”. “His vision and talent will reinforce the energy of the brand and our position as a leader in luxury. 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,” they said.
After Virginie Viard’s exit from the role in June, Blazy’s name had been on the industry’s lips as her replacement. The French-Belgian designer served as Creative Director for Bottega Veneta since 2021, following the sudden exit of now-Burberry Creative Director Daniel Lee. Carven Creative Director Louise Trotter was announced as his successor at the Italian luxury house earlier today.
Blazy’s appointment at Chanel succeeds Viard’s five-year tenure as creative director, a role she assumed following Karl Lagerfeld’s passing in 2019. Since Viard’s departure was announced in June this year, speculation has been rife in the fashion industry about her successor. Names such as Hedi Slimane, John Galliano, and Simon Porte Jacquemus were frequently mentioned, while Marc Jacobs openly expressed his interest in the position.
Blazy takes the helm at Chanel at a difficult time for the luxury sector. Established in 1910 by milliner and entrepreneur Coco Chanel, has demonstrated strong resilience during the economic downturn. While consumer weakness has slowed growth in China and intensified competition for customer loyalty, Chanel’s revenues increased by 16 per cent year-on-year, reaching $19.7bn in 2023.
