Belgian wunderkind Matthieu Blazy has finally showed his debut collection for Bottega Veneta after former creative director Daniel Lee unexpectedly left the top post last November despite his whirlwind transformation of the august maison.
For the uninitiated, Blazy has been viewed most favourably by the industry for a long time now – the 35-year-old’s impressive creds include working with Raf Simons at the latter’s namesake label, Celine (he was reportedly headhunted by Phoebe Philo), Maison Martin Margiela (he headed the couture line in the years after its famous founder departed in 2009) as well as joining Bottega Veneta itself as design director in 2020.
Bottega Veneta’s new creative director, Mattieu Blazy
In an interview with industry publication Business of Fashion, Blazy stated that he was “extremely nervous” and clearly, he had to produce the collection in a very short span of time.
And despite the theatrics the fashion industry is known for (and which makes for good social media fodder), the Belgian designer himself appears to have a more thoughtful and nuanced approach to fashion, telling various industry titles that (to him), luxury is something to be appreciated by the wearer – not those looking on (in social media).
A quiet power, is what he called it. Below, we take a look at how Blazy brought his vision of “quiet power” to life – his way.