Chanel picks Matthieu Blazy as creative director

PARIS — French fashion house Chanel selected former Bottega Veneta design chief Matthieu Blazy as its next creative director, the company said on Thursday (Dec 12), after months of fevered speculation about the industry's most coveted job.

The choice of Blazy signals a new aesthetic for the privately-owned brand, famous for tweed jackets, double-C logos and No. 5 perfume, and comes amid an industry-wide slump in the luxury sector.

The high-profile role has been left vacant since the abrupt departure of Virginie Viard in June.

"Matthieu Blazy is one of the most gifted designers of his generation," said Alain Wertheimer, global executive chairman, and Leena Nair, global chief executive officer, in a statement.

The world's second-largest label after LVMH's Louis Vuitton, Chanel is owned by French billionaire Wertheimer and his brother Gerard.

Viard had worked at Chanel for nearly thirty years, alongside longtime Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld, taking over in 2019 following his death.

Sales at the French fashion house were up 16 per cent last year to nearly US$20 billion (S$26.9 billion).

Luxury group Kering earlier said it has appointed Louise Trotter as creative director of Bottega Veneta to replace Blazy.

Currently creative director at French fashion brand Carven and previously in the same role at Lacoste, Trotter will join the company at the end of January, the company said in a statement.