Following Daniel Lee’s abrupt departure from Bottega Veneta, the brand’s design director, Matthieu Blazy, is to succeed Lee as the creative director with immediate effect. The new incumbent will present his first collection for the Italian label in February 2022.
Considered a hidden figure, Blazy is not widely known among consumers but he has built a reputation within the fashion community. Insiders got to know his works through his stints are various labels, most notably for being the deputy of Raf Simons at his namesake brand and at Clavin Kleins. He also worked for Celine when Phoebe Philo was at the helm of the brand along with Lee. Furthermore, Blazy was in charge of Maison Margiela‘s couture line, Artisanal for four years.
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Having worked under Philo, Blazy shares a similar sense of style with Lee and it is expected that the current aesthetic of the brand that the former creative director has created remains albeit with slight alterations. Blazy joined Bottega Venetta last year.
The shift appointment of the brand’s new creative director highlights the desire of Bottega Venetta and its parent company Kering in ensuring continuity at the brand. The move also follows previous appointments such as the promotion of Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen and Alessandro Michele at Gucci to be the creative director of the respective brands.
“This is totally in the style of Kering and it’s always a beautiful message for the organization, to offer the opportunity to grow in such a challenging environment as that of design,” said Giovanna Brambilla, a partner at Milan-based executive search firm Value Search.
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The message that Kering is conveying is one of evolution rather than revolution, and this is seen with Saint Laurent. After Heidi Slimane’s departure, his successor Anthony Vaccarello maintained the monochrome templates but introduced a more feminine interpretation of the brand’s archives.
“Matthieu Blazy is an extraordinarily talented individual, whom I am proud and excited to entrust with the creative helm of our luxury house,” said Leo Rongone, CEO of the company in a statement. “Bottega Veneta has always been equated with signature craftsmanship and distinctive creativity. Matthieu’s appointment will further enhance the modern relevance of our brand and accelerate our growth, while preserving the values that are at the core of Bottega Veneta.”
In the recent Q3 financial results, organic revenues at the house rose 8.9 per cent year-over-year. And last year, Bottega Veneta was the only brand under Kering with breakout sales — it grew 4.8 per cent despite the impact of the pandemic on the luxury sector.
“The very solid foundations, specific codes and unique identity of Bottega Veneta enable us to nurture great ambitions for the future of this luxury house,” Kering’s CEO François-Henri Pinault said in a statement. “I am confident that Matthieu Blazy’s wealth of experience and broad cultural background will allow him to bring his creative impetus to the task of carrying on the legacy of Bottega Veneta.”
Other moves in the fashion industry include Versace CEO, Johnathan Akeroyd, becoming the new head of British luxury brand Burberry come April 2022. Prior to Versace, Akeryod was CEO of another British luxury brand, Alexander McQueen — which is also part of the same parent company as Bottega Veneta, Kering.
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