Matthieu Blazy - Designer, Creative Director of Chanel

[Kanzai]

I think Chanel’s legacy on her own in the current public imagination is impossible to separate from Karl’s impact on Chanel. The cooooonnnstant references to her and her codes and her history. As future focused as Karl was, he didn’t let us forget about Coco. Their legacies are quite intertwined. Before Karl, Chanel was a dusty crusty brand for doctor’s wives. If Karl’s vision for Chanel didn’t work… who knows where the brand would be today. Maybe No. 5 would still be available for sale at every cheap drugstore and she’d just be remembered as a collaborator? Or maybe not, maybe they would have found a different successful designer and we’d have a different perspective on Chanel. Regardless, Karl’s work and success at Chanel rehabbed her image and the house so much.

Fair points. TBH, I’ve never been particularly drawn to most of Mademoiselle Coco Chanel’s works, just like I’m not really captivated by most of the “greats” from the past century like Cristóbal Balenciaga, Paul Poiret, or Madeleine Vionnet. Maybe that makes me a fashun follower with no real taste, and that’s fine, lol. It’s just that their creations feel quite distant from my own aesthetic sensibility and, to some extent, from that of many people today who have at least lived through the 2000s.

And yes, like you, the Chanel I admire is the legacy Karl left behind. My favorite works of his are from the Métiers d’art collections, even though some might argue those were not his best offerings. Karl wasn’t a revolutionary figure in fashion, but he refined and expanded Coco’s vision in a complete and far-reaching way. Maybe I shouldn’t have tried to compare who was “greater” in the first place. It’s kind of like, if Coco was Karl Marx, then Karl Lagerfeld was Lenin .

 

[PDFSD]

No, dear PDFSD. It's not having a style. It's the opposite. It's a bunch of parasites using Coco's design ideas to produce NOTHING. That's far from style.

I don't give a sh*t that someone is paid there or if he has a ig. He is telling the truth.

Karl's death exposed Chanel as creatively bankrupt. Virginie, the design team. No one of them has vision.

I agree that VV and the team are or where not giving vision to the brand but industry comments of chanel being dusty has been going on in fashion even with KL years, there has not been a moment unless KL did something shocking or viral with the set of the show, people we not saying something about chanel being cheap or old fashion etc

I do want to point out again that chanel original design and style language is mostly what in modern day is seen as dowdy the square shape box silhouette the BCBG etc pearls the suits the two tone shoes etc this is chanel no matter you make girls in hot pants or modern like Blazy will do these elements will always bring up the conversation of dowdiness etc

Chanel rightfully even if greed plays a role will not let go of these codes and keep producing clothes and if we are strict coco herself apart from breaking some rules in dressing was about clothes and style and being modern she was against the mini in her time she did not go with her time she stuck to what she liked

KL version of storytelling was making chanel travel in places she never traveled before like space or supermarket etc in a often comic pop way ...what often is the taste of social media and its content writers or creators or influencers.

Its just volture behavior how he now want to say something about Chanel and like other point out is easy on Gucci per example that for me produced worse shows & lack of direction lately with ancora.

and for me his content is cheap and basic

 

[Alquimista]

I agree that VV and the team are or where not giving vision to the brand but industry comments of chanel being dusty has been going on in fashion even with KL years, there has not been a moment unless KL did something shocking or viral with the set of the show, people we not saying something about chanel being cheap or old fashion etc

I do want to point out again that chanel original design and style language is mostly what in modern day is seen as dowdy the square shape box silhouette the BCBG etc pearls the suits the two tone shoes etc this is chanel no matter you make girls in hot pants or modern like Blazy will do these elements will always bring up the conversation of dowdiness etc

Chanel rightfully even if greed plays a role will not let go of these codes and keep producing clothes and if we are strict coco herself apart from breaking some rules in dressing was about clothes and style and being modern she was against the mini in her time she did not go with her time she stuck to what she liked

KL version of storytelling was making chanel travel in places she never traveled before like space or supermarket etc in a often comic pop way ...what often is the taste of social media and its content writers or creators or influencers.

Its just volture behavior how he now want to say something about Chanel and like other point out is easy on Gucci per example that for me produced worse shows & lack of direction lately with ancora.

and for me his content is cheap and basic

The people who called Chanel old fashion never understood Karl's conversation with Coco's ideas, the codes. Karl was very heterodox and we can say he brought Chanel to the 21 century. Karl knew Chanel had to evolve but he also knew Chanel's clientele. He had to make a very delicate formula (did not always worked of course).

Blazy only needs to take it to the next level. Make Chanel contemporary, less heavy. He won't let go of the codes, but he don't need to. It's like in contemporary architecture when the architect don't destroy the old structure but build something new with it.

And very unfair of you and blue orchid to bring the mini. The b*tch was on death's door. lol

 

[Deleted member 116957]

And very unfair of you and blue orchid to bring the mini. The b*tch was on death's door. lol

I've gotta find the article again where they had Karl watch that video and he called her a "mean b*tch"

 

[PDFSD]

I've gotta find the article again where they had Karl watch that video and he called her a "mean b*tch"

I love Coco with all her mistakes and i love KL with all his mistakes and i love VV for her service and loyalty :-)

Studio team efforts they did what they could, it could have been worse does not make it great either their efforts but yeah.

Lazy Blazy TBC

Matter of fact Chanel is a unique brand and not perfect but it is special in its kind its has almost everything you want from a brand compelling polarizing founder style and codes and a way of life maybe even myth and facts mixing endlessly transcending qualities....etc

 

[style_expert]

It's interesting how this thread is 51 pages long—about 45 of them filled with (mostly negative) discussion about his Chanel—yet he hasn’t shown a single glimpse of what his Chanel actually looks like.

Unpopular opinion, but I’m genuinely looking forward to seeing what he comes up with. I’m expecting him to bring a renewed sense of relevance to Chanel. The one thing they probably didn’t anticipate at Chanel is that his debut would take place during a season crowded with other designer debuts.

Apparently, MB is now in New York and might show up at the Met Gala tomorrow. If that’s the case, I wonder if there will be some sort of red carpet preview on a Chanel-wearing guest? Anna Wintour always is in Chanel Couture but it's not very attractive to imagine a first look of MB-Chanel on her.

 

[Cocteau Stone]

Apparently, MB is now in New York and might show up at the Met Gala tomorrow. If that’s the case, I wonder if there will be some sort of red carpet preview on a Chanel-wearing guest? Anna Wintour always is in Chanel Couture but it's not very attractive to imagine a first look of MB-Chanel on her.

She did wear some of the first designs of Galliano for Margiela, as well as helped him with Amal wearing it to the MET in 2015 (with Galliano's partner Alexis being her stylist). I wouldn't be opposed to her wearing his first creations for Chanel actually. In the end, her type is the desired Chanel customer when it comes to couture (in manners regarding aura - we've all seen the Couture Customers thread and how bad many of them are...).

 

[carla56]

She did wear some of the first designs of Galliano for Margiela, as well as helped him with Amal wearing it to the MET in 2015 (with Galliano's partner Alexis being her stylist). I wouldn't be opposed to her wearing his first creations for Chanel actually. In the end, her type is the desired Chanel customer when it comes to couture (in manners regarding aura - we've all seen the Couture Customers thread and how bad many of them are...).

It would be very strange to see a couture piece by MB at the Met, and then to see a couture collection by the design team in july then to wait until january to see a full MB couture collection…

 

[Cocteau Stone]

^ In terms of timing, yeah it would be very poor form. I still wouldn’t be too surprised if it were to happen. It’s great publicity (unfortunately, despite the self serving circus of the MET) and who knows what they’d be looking to do to instil some design integrity and confidence at Chanel. Doing it out of sync to the collections contradicts that, but again who knows at this point.

 

[Lola701]

He is the CD of the most important fashion brand. It makes totally for him to be invited. But I expect more to see somebody in Dior Homme by JWA than Chanel by MB.
They probably bought a table for their ambassadors. I saw that Lupita is there.

I think Chanel Ambassadors will probably wear Vintage or the SS collection. I’m curious to see what Blazy may wear.

I expect to see the Zegna brands represented in full form.

 

[Creative]

I take this with a pinch of salt, but someone very important in a certain group, working directly with probably the most important CEO in the world, told me that Chanel is planning to launch menswear 🧐

I just can’t picture MB doing menswear. Maybe it’s not true but this guy is so so well connected that I’m sure he actually heard these rumours from people working at Chanel top management.

 

[Olaffo]

I mean that would make sense because Vogue Business was sending probes the other day how that „potential Chanel menswear” would look like. Ib Kamara wore Chanel for MET gala, ASAP has been teased about potential Chanel Menswear Ambassadorship.

There are no coincidences, just signs 🫠

 

[Creative]

I mean that would make sense because Vogue Business was sending probes the other day how that „potential Chanel menswear” would look like. Ib Kamara wore Chanel for MET gala, ASAP has been teased about potential Chanel Menswear Ambassadorship.

There are no coincidences, just signs 🫠

Who’s Kamara?

You know, also, ALLEDGELY, a very important French footballer told a certain brand that if they didn’t pay him more, Chanel was offering him more money to be an ambassador of Chanel menswear and that he would eventually accept, lmao.

Maybe the footballer made it up, I can’t picture Chanel & football players.

 

[Olaffo]

Who’s Kamara?

Ib Kamara - stylist and creative director of Off White.

 

[Lola701]

I mean they can properly launch a Chanel menswear even if I think it should have a certain level of exclusivity too. 10 looks per season could be enough.

But Chanel should remain first and foremost womenswear.

Ib Kamara - stylist and creative director of Off White.

And ex-stylist for Chanel under Virginie (which explain the connection).

 

[Monsieur Cristobal]

One of the weird effects of being in TFS is that sometimes you know the things so in advance that you are kind of over them when they finally happen in reality.
Like, I registered last October but it feels like it's been years with Jonathan at Dior and Maria Grazia leaving 🤣

Months ago, when I thought Hedi was going to Chanel, his menswear looked like the logical step.
All that vanished into thin air and I accepted that menswear wouldn't happen at Chanel.
So right now I don't think it is a good idea. There is not a strong reason behind (Mathieu is not a legendary menswear designer).
You want to increase your revenue in exchange of diluting your identity?
Think twice Chanel.
Women only is cool.

 

[LadyJunon]

Women only is cool.

Especially with the state of designer menswear these days.

 

[Lola701]

One of the weird effects of being in TFS is that sometimes you know the things so in advance that you are kind of over them when they finally happen in reality.
Like, I registered last October but it feels like it's been years with Jonathan at Dior and Maria Grazia leaving 🤣

Months ago, when I thought Hedi was going to Chanel, his menswear looked like the logical step.
All that vanished into thin air and I accepted that menswear wouldn't happen at Chanel.
So right now I don't think it is a good idea. There is not a strong reason behind (Mathieu is not a legendary menswear designer).
You want to increase your revenue in exchange of diluting your identity?
Think twice Chanel.
Women only is cool.

The men buying or who are going to buy Chanel buy it because it’s Chanel. Anybody can do it. You don’t have to be a legendary designer to do it…
Matter of fact, Karl has made menswear from FW2004 to Prefall 2019. So in a way, nothing will be new.

People maybe wanted Hedi for the aura but in reality, Chanel didn’t wait for him to do skinny jeans and tweed jackets.

 

[Creative]

Yeah, to me if Hedi had been appointed it would’ve made sense. Without him it makes zero sense to me. It could be really awkward.

BUT imagine the gays. They would kill for anything Chanel if that happened. 🤣

The rumors from top management just make me think that Hedi was about to become Chanel’s new designer and something happened that ruined it all.

The shade Bruno threw to Hedi was not normal… looked personal. I wouldn’t say what he said publicly about such a prestigious designer if I had the position Bruno has.

Launching menswear would’ve increased the business exponentially and it could’ve been even bigger than Dior Homme.

 

[Creative]

Sorry to double post, but imagine both worlds combined… it could have possibly surpassed LV if Hedi was at the helm.

Also thinking of the poor men working in HQ and stores… 0 allowance!! Imagine getting Chanel allowance by Hedi. A dream job just for that I would even accept Kering’s sort of fees 😂