Matthieu Blazy - Designer, Creative Director of Chanel

They might not know Blazy right now, but customers did know who Karl was. At least on a basic department store level that sold his name-sake brand.
 
Karl was a household name for decades and even MGC has made her name in third world countries for being the CD of Dior simply because of the marketing of her accesories. I will not be surprised the new CDs will get all the attention like their predecessors once their debut hit the internet.
 
Would love to be able to talk about how these luxury brands treat their workers. Want to talk about bullying? Maybe we can start there. Blazy is now in the company of HR Lena and Bruno.

So after Blazy announces to the world he is there to lead the brand, Chanel gets called out on social media for their WWD propaganda video. WWD takes it down, then replaces it with these staged photos. He can't save this brand no matter how well-intentioned he is. As stated above he is a salaried employee. Albeit, at one of the most coveted roles, but creativity is not leading this brand, greed is. $10,000 machine-stitched, plastic-looking leather bags. Come on.
like i said it when he was hired on TFS and to my friends IRL:

his main job is to PR IMAGE/Marketing course direct Chanel to be synonymous with craft AKA hand done high quality aura (hermes aura) ...Blazy whole reputation is craft and the leather quality of BV ...

as much as people think to hate VV or KL or the studio collections, it always was and looked more or less the same thing with updated twists as times changed this will continue under the excuse of strong DNA OF CHANEL

the big aura they trying to convey in everyone's /average person minds is high quality leather and craft ACCessories Leather goods.

that the big CEO plan !!!!!!

Blazy is surface level aura craft and that's what they paid him to come course direct the image of the leather goods house of CHANEL

sure modern hip fashion helps but we all know what clients buy buzz helps puss more ACC & Leather goods & beauty


mentioned also before and will repeat :as i know directly from with in the company that top management they regretted the last price increases on the chanel classic Flap ............. but cats out the bag they can't go back hence image upgrade plan with Blazy ......
 
Grets is clearly stating that Bruno/Lena/Chanel "played dirty" in the time period between VV's dismissal and Blazy's appointment, and that Blazy will be doing the same now that he's joined Chanel. I'm sorry but I can't take such statements seriously, this is all just conjecture at best.
Re: @Grets, not you @Melancholybaby (❤️). Shouldn't we take ALL creative directors to task for how their corporate overlords act, then? Why just Blazy? Ghesquière is surely just as responsible for anything shady Arnault does, then, right? (Oh, I forget, on tFS it's MCG who's holding Arnault hostage with her womanly ovaries... each one has a gun pointed at his head).
 
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The timing is interesting. If we do believe the one-year non-compete in Kering contracts , it means he resigned from BV in March 24, so signed with Chanel in February or March 24.
So Virginie was out since March 24 but she did not know and decided to quit immediately when she learned ?
Am I correct or did I forget something in the timeline ?
Did Pavlosky knew it too and hide it from Viard ?
 
mentioned also before and will repeat :as i know directly from with in the company that top management they regretted the last price increases on the chanel classic Flap ............. but cats out the bag they can't go back hence image upgrade plan with Blazy ......
I had this discussion recently with someone and we also asked ourselves if Blazy’s first bag wouldn’t be a bag that could be made from beginning to end by hands or at least project that illusion.
Because a Chanel bag (whether it’s a 2.55, boy or Classic) is too intricate in it fabrication to be made by hand. A Birkin or a Kelly are very « easy bags » to make.
And that person mentioned that the 22 is a very easy bag to make by hand but my point was that it was intended to be a simpler design to be sold at a lower price range.

But as I mentioned earlier, I think the image problem Chanel is having now will be solved once their « creative credibility » will be back. And that whether we love or not the direction Blazy takes.
 
The timing is interesting. If we do believe the one-year non-compete in Kering contracts , it means he resigned from BV in March 24, so signed with Chanel in February or March 24.
So Virginie was out since March 24 but she did not know and decided to quit immediately when she learned ?
Am I correct or did I forget something in the timeline ?
Did Pavlosky knew it too and hide it from Viard ?
But Blazy was a number 2 of Lee. He left the company and was asked back. I don’t even think he had that kind of great contract that locked him. I suspect that he got in touch with Chanel at the time of a contract 1st renewal negociation with BV that would have been more important.
 
I had this discussion recently with someone and we also asked ourselves if Blazy’s first bag wouldn’t be a bag that could be made from beginning to end by hands or at least project that illusion.
Because a Chanel bag (whether it’s a 2.55, boy or Classic) is too intricate in it fabrication to be made by hand. A Birkin or a Kelly are very « easy bags » to make.
And that person mentioned that the 22 is a very easy bag to make by hand but my point was that it was intended to be a simpler design to be sold at a lower price range.

But as I mentioned earlier, I think the image problem Chanel is having now will be solved once their « creative credibility » will be back. And that whether we love or not the direction Blazy takes.
The thing is:
Chanel bag is made like a rtw piece way of construction, hiding seams etc so it might seem more intricate because of the layers and panels and the need to align the quilting and having double flap constructions etc ist more 3d and is more ornamental etc

But the Hermes Kelly is more difficult and costly to make than a Chanel bag, the Handle of a Kelly alone the layers to do right, the cutting and construction steps and skills already take a lot of the time, then the hardware of palladium higher quality more costly with placing of nails finishing hammering etc constancy of saddle stitching especially when it's sellier make it for more precise work and less fast manufacturing than a Chanel classic flap or 2.55

i can tell you many brands leather goods designer and factory leather goods technicians envy Hermes leather goods making approach because it very craft and honest and key to their success is the possibility for repair to have this reverse engineering built into the life cycle of a product you can replace any part of their bags because the construction is honest.

Yes yes the 22 is a shopping bag construction with quilting and Chanel chain :-)

i agree if Blazy boy brings a glossy hype all is forgotten...but if production and construction short cuts keep happening it will be double the outrage because you have Blayz as the hired repair man and people expect this to reflect in quality overall halo as well so less issues expected.

As much as people complain for years Chanel is dowdy etc the creative credibility issue is for the IG and press thing it was there also with KL for years but less loud because social media was less of an thing as you know.

i see Blazy just giving it a gloss of new feeling, but you will see most things will be still the chanel fit square and for everybody type etc
also because Blazy is not good either at sharp proportions his BV is as boxy as Chanel and acc as roundy and granny as chanel just without logo and quilting.

maybe he will surprise but i like to predict and see how my predictions are contrasted by the reality.
its a fun brain exercise how well do i know this x talent :-)
 
But the Hermes Kelly is more difficult and costly to make than a Chanel bag, the Handle of a Kelly alone the layers to do right, the cutting and construction steps and skills already take a lot of the time, then the hardware of palladium higher quality more costly with placing of nails finishing hammering etc constancy of saddle stitching especially when it's sellier make it for more precise work and less fast manufacturing than a Chanel classic flap or 2.55


i can tell you many brands leather goods designer and factory leather goods technicians envy Hermes leather goods making approach because it very craft and honest and key to their success is the possibility for repair to have this reverse engineering built into the life cycle of a product you can replace any part of their bags because the construction is honest.
I have to add that what I meant about the Kelly and Birkin being «easy » had more to do with the designs themselves. Those are a quite easy shapes from a particular era. My favorite Hermes bag, the Paris Bombay, is the same. Those are very « easy » but what makes it difficult is the level of training and standards that is applied to make them.

I think the Passe-Guide is already a much more intricate design in a way.

For me, what really sets apart Hermes is the reputation because they have applied high standards in their métiers through some key models.
A bag like the Double Sens is almost anecdotical but when you realize it’s Hermes, there’s a whole mythology that comes to mind. It may have been machine made but people will assume it’s handmade lol

But in a way it’s unfair because Chanel highest level of standard is in fashion as it is a fashion brand. And they have HC and Metiers d’arts to talk about craftsmanship. There everything is machine made but the standard is high and nobody is ever questioning that.

I agree about brands being envious of Hermes.
Look at Celine and their Haute Maroquinerie. Lol. Pure marketing because the aura of that one or few bags that are handmade touches the whole line of canvas or leather bags made in factories lol.
In that Hedi learned the lesson well.
 
Fine, we can play whataboutism if you want and compare Chanel to LVMH brands. MGC's creative direction has been informed by the suits. To design the Book Tote, a bag that mimics the construction of $1 grocery bags, cost only $57 to make and sell it for $3000 is her responding to the needs of her corporate overlords. I say this as a woman, people don't hate her bc she has ovaries. It's because her designs suck and she's there to tow the line. Ghesghierre again, has to bend to the will of his overlords. Him designing $2000+ bags made of plastic coated canvas, another scam. We can go further, look at how the industry rewarded Demna for selling literal trash bags at Balenciaga, despite all the controversies, he's promoted to Kering's biggest brand.

Blazy will also be put in a position where he has to design a cost-effective bag at an exorbitant markup. Maybe it's leather that looks like tweed and the customer will be sold on the idea, maybe that's enough. But factory footage of bags sold at $10K, customers rightfully are criticizing Chanel.
 
I say this as a woman, people don't hate her bc she has ovaries. It's because her designs suck and she's there to toe the line.
You’re missing point. Certain people on tFS definitely do hate her because she’s a woman. I don’t care about her as a designer at all. Count yourself lucky for not seeing those ignorant comments.
 
Mediocre or not he is CD of CHANEL, has equally talented partner, amazing house in Antwerp and we hide behide our comments on tfs.

Good for you Blazy, wish you all the luck, God bless you and you can be mediocre as much as you want. Mission accomplish as long you pissed @Creative and those like him.

Brava Blazy! Brava!
…… so I take it you’ve never met nor worked with MB in real life right? Lol
 
This thread is insane, especially when there's literally no output from him yet for Chanel. And call me crazy, modern, or just not stuck in 2012—but I think it’s time we stop clutching pearls every time a creative director uses Instagram like a normal human being.
 
Honestly, I am still in profound disbelief. Hedi, the one true heir closest to a living Karl (along with TF), didn’t get the Chanel job. He did everything right, with a stellar track record and memorable fashion moments, yet in the end, he lost the battle. Despite all his efforts, he was not chosen.

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He isn't even one of my top ten favorite designers, yet I feel a sense of injustice for him forever. I wish I could have a remote to fast-forward through the next five trashy years to come.
 

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