Bottega Veneta and Dries Van Noten also get new artistic directors, while Maison Margiela says farewell to a fashion icon.
The game of musical chairs in the fashion industry seems to be far from over. For the past few months, hellos and goodbyes have become far too common in the upper echelons of esteemed houses.
Six months ago, we saw Chanel bid goodbye to Virginie Viard, while Lanvin welcomed Peter Copping soon after. In July, Burberry axed its CEO Jonathan Akeroyd following dismal numbers. Earlier this October, Hedi Slimane exited Celine as Michael Rider took on his role. In the same month, Kim Jones said goodbye to Fendi.
Just as many were starting to think Chanel would be ending the year and entering a new one without an artistic director, it announced last week that it has appointed Matthieu Blazy to the post. The news comes after months of speculation following Viard’s sudden exit, and rumors swirling around of possible contenders for the much coveted role with names such as Slimane and Simon Porte Jacquemus.
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Blazy will join the legendary French house in 2025, and will report to Bruno Pavlovsky, president of Chanel Fashion and Chanel SA. His role will include haute couture, ready-to-wear, and accessories collections.
In a joint statement released on Dec.12 and as quoted on CNN Style, Alain Wertheimer, global executive chairman, and Leena Nair, global CEO of Chanel, called the French-Belgian designer “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 added.
“I am convinced that he will be able to play with the codes and heritage of the house, through an ongoing dialogue with the studio, our ateliers, and our maisons d’art,” Pavlovsky said. “His audacious personality, his innovative and powerful approach to creation, as well as his dedication to craftsmanship and beautiful materials, will take Chanel in exciting new directions.”
The 40-year-old served more than four years at Bottega Veneta (including three as its creative director), where his collections have consistently garnered praise for “their distinct vision and elevated playfulness.” Most recently, his Spring/Summer 2025 show became notable for its deliberately creased pieces, striped shirting, and fluid all-leather paillette evening dress.
Beyond his creative prowess, Blazy is also known for his commercial success. Under his helm, Bottega Veneta became one of Milan’s most sought after brands, best known for its impeccable craftsmanship, as reported by Vogue Business. Sales increased four percent in the first nine months of 2024 to €1.23 billion, making it the top-performing brand among Kering’s fashion houses.
At Chanel, he is facing the gargantuan task of designing 10 collections per year (two ready-to-wear, two couture, two pre-collections, one cruise, one Métiers d’art, plus Coco Beach and Coco Neige). Vogue Business also reports that Blazy is expected to continue Chanel’s boom in revenue which hit $19.7 billion in 2023, up 16 percent year-on-year, making it the world’s second-largest luxury brand behind Louis Vuitton. Talk about immense pressure.
The Paris-born Blazy graduated from Brussels’ La Cambre in 2007. He has held designer positions at Raf Simons and Maison Margiela, where he was known for designing the brand’s ‘Artisanal’ line, for which he gained recognition.
In 2014, he was appointed senior designer at Céline under Phoebe Philo, before reuniting with Simons at Calvin Klein as VP of design for womenswear and menswear from 2016 to 2019. In 2020, he became Bottega Veneta’s design director under Daniel Lee. After Lee’s departure, he was appointed creative director in 2021.
“I am thrilled and honoured to join the wonderful house of Chanel. I look forward to meeting all the teams and writing this new chapter together,” Blazy said.
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Trotter says ‘hello’ to Bottega Veneta
Just a few days before Chanel’s announcement, Bottega Veneta had its own big news: Louise Trotter would succeed Blazy as creative director of the Italian house. The Cut reports that Trotter will be Bottega’s third creative director since 2018, after Tomas Maier left the luxury brand known for its excellence in leather craftsmanship and minimalist collections. Maier held the post for 17 long years.
During Blazy’s tenure, Bottega managed to keep sales soaring at a time when competitors have seen reduced revenues. Much like Blazy, Trotter has large shoes to fill.
But Trotter is coming in with just as impressive a portfolio. She spent the last two years at Carven, a brand she helped revive after crawling out of bankruptcy in 2018. Prior to her stint at the French heritage label, she led design at Lacoste and the British label Joseph. Earlier in her career, she also worked in the US at Gap, Calvin Klein, and Tommy Hilfiger, as well as at Whistles and Jigsaw in the UK.
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Klausner succeeds an iconic founder
Not to be outdone, Dries Van Noten has also announced a new creative director, six months after the iconic designer after whom the brand was named retired. Per GQ, Van Noten said whoever succeeded him would have to “dare.” “We always wanted to surprise people,” Van Noten said, “and that’s important…I think they have to dare, they have to move forward.”
Just last week, the label known for its intelligent and creative menswear announced that it has finally found its successor in Julian Klausner. The 33-year-old joined Dries Van Noten in 2018 and rose to head of the company’s women’s studio. As creative director, the Belgian designer will be in charge of both women’s and men’s wear for the house.
Unlike Blazy and Trotter, The New York Times reports that Klausner is still “relatively unknown” beyond Dries Van Noten. What he lacks in photos with celebrities is more than made up for by Van Noten’s complete faith in him. In a news release, the brand’s founder said Mr. Klausner was “a clear choice to take over after my departure.”
Klausner will present his first men’s collection as a lookbook in January.
Galliano says goodbye to Maison Margiela
As three iconic brands welcome new leadership, an esteemed fashion house bids farewell to one of its pillars. In a statement posted on Instagram, the John Galliano says he’s “saying goodbye to Maison Margiela.” The 64-year-old steps down as the French luxury fashion house’s creative director after a full decade.
Fashion press outlets have reported that Galliano had been approaching the end of a five-year contract but chose not to renew. He has yet to announce what his next move will be.
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Galliano joined Maison Margiela as creative director in 2014, three years after leaving Dior following an accusation he had made anti-Semitic remarks in a bar, per the BBC. A French court subsequently found Galliano guilty of making anti-Semitic remarks in 2011 and he was sentenced to a total of €6,000 (£4,940) in fines.
As creative director of Maison Margiela, Vogue said he had “taken the cult label, beloved of art and fashion insiders under incredibly private founder Martin Margiela, to new heights.” He was largely responsible for steering the company toward remarkable growth, with sales increasing by 24% in 2022 and 23% in 2023.
In his Instagram statement, Galliano said he was “forever grateful for this safe space to create and build a new family that supports me with courage and dignity.”
