Chanel's Matthieu Blazy: "I Was Never Not Interested in Fashion"

"People have a lot of ideas of what Chanel is, or rather what it should be. One word that doesn't come up much, though, is rebellious - yet that's exactly what Chanel the woman was and what Chanel the house remains. Rather than rebellion, 'paradox' was the word used by Matthieu Blazy, Chanel's artistic director of fashion collections, backstage after his debut show for the maison in October."

"It was indeed a paradox, both Chanel as you've never seen it before and Chanel exactly as it should be. 'It wasn't easy, I can tell you,' Blazy says, in hindsight. 'The pressure is so nerve-wracking. But if you don't enjoy what you do, why do it?'"

"To helm Chanel is, to many, the greatest job in fashion. There is a priceless history, a ceaseless mine of inspiration and unparalleled influence. The rebellion of its namesake founder led to fashionable women dressing in proletariat garb, 'poor' fabrics entering the arena of couture, menswear moving into women's wardrobes for the first time."

Matthieu Blazy assumes the role of Chanel's artistic director, a position widely regarded as fashion's most prestigious. His debut collection challenges conventional expectations of what Chanel represents, embodying the paradox central to both Gabrielle Chanel and the house itself. Blazy describes the pressure as nerve-wracking yet fulfilling, emphasizing his genuine passion for the work. Chanel's historical significance stems from its founder's rebellious approach—introducing proletariat aesthetics to couture, incorporating unconventional fabrics, and bringing menswear into women's fashion. This transformative legacy continues through the house's evolution, with Blazy's collection simultaneously presenting Chanel as unprecedented while remaining authentically true to its core identity.

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