Chanel names Matthieu Blazy as artistic director

French fashion house Chanel has named Matthieu Blazy, former Bottega Veneta creative director, as its new artistic director of fashion activities.The choice of Blazy signals a new aesthetic for the privately-owned brand.
The high-profile role has been vacant since the abrupt departure of Virginie Viard in June. Viard had worked at Chanel for nearly thirty years, alongside longtime Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld, taking over in 2019 following his death.
Owned by French billionaire Alain Wertheimer and his brother Gerard, Chanel is the world’s second-largest label after LVMH’s Louis Vuitton. Sales were up 16% last year to nearly $20 billion. In a statement, Wertheimer and Leena Nair, global chief executive officer called Matthieu Blazy “one of the most gifted designers of his generation.”