Bal Harbour

power shift is in play: This year will see the debut efforts from new chief designers at some of fashion's most influential houses. At press time, one of the most titillating recent rumors is whether Proenza Schouler's Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez will take the reins at Loewe. (Jonathan Anderson is expected to be moving on to Dior.) It's also not unlikely that by the time this issue goes to print, more designer appointments (Maria Grazia Chiuri, Kim Jones) may be confirmed. And Gucci's top post is now vacant, with Sabato de Sarno departing in February after just two years. The two highest-profile changes are occurring at Chanel and Bottega Veneta, where designers Matthieu Blazy and Louise Trotter, respectively, have ascended the thrones. Given the size and stature of these labels, the incoming designers' upcoming work may well be the most potent (in terms of tastemaking) of anyone's for the foreseeable future. Let's start with Chanel. It was announced last summer that then–Creative Director Virginie Viard would be leaving her post. Viard was an acolyte and close confidante of Karl Lagerfeld's, who famously led the label for 36 years until his death in 2019. It was largely Lagerfeld who made Chanel what it is today–a super-luxe brand that is simultaneously classic yet splashy, toeing the line between "good taste" and novelty, and packed with a kind of transmutable and urbane French élan. Viard propped up this legacy while quietly offering her own ideas (there was a softer, maybe slightly more equestrian- esque vibe to her work), but she never really moved the needle beyond what had already been established. Blazy—who is transferring to the house from Bottega Veneta—will find plenty to dabble with to underscore that spirit; Chanel's signatures, like its tweeds and its myriad accessories, are so entrenched in the fashion prism that it would be difficult to derail or desert them entirely. But I'd expect Blazy to amplify a feeling of artfulness; Chanel might get a little weirder to the eye, but in a very good way. Blazy, 40, was once called a "fashion ghost" by the New York Times; if that's true, he was a ghost very much at the levers of the machine. Blazy has been professionally linked to some of the most defining style chapters of the recent past: he worked on the revival of Margiela; with Phoebe Philo (Celine); and with Raf Simons (Calvin Klein). These moments were all big deals in the business, and Blazy had a hand in all of them. He went from ghost to sartorial god, though, when he rose through the ranks at Bottega Veneta, following the brand's return to the zeitgeist by Blazy's predecessor, Daniel Lee. Lee's Bottega was slick and clubby, making good use of Bottega's intrecciato woven leather trademark by enlarging it and rendering it more visible; Blazy imbued that buzzy mantle with an almost galleristic artisanship, and a true care for texture and detail (see, for example, his leather pieces made to look like denim). His collections, in his short time at the helm, were consistently ranked among editors' favorites, and, in 2024's luxury-market downturn that saw revenue drops at many top brands, Bottega was one of the few that grew. The takeaway: Blazy has a proven instinct for creating, ahead of the curve, what fashionable women want to wear. He is no doubt a part of forging said trends, but I think it's also just his intuition—and his track record illustrates his prescience. Expect Chanel, then, to be an aesthetic-forward weathervane once Blazy's first collection premieres later in the year. At Bottega, British designer Louise Trotter, 56, is stepping in. Her hiring is significant: as of this writing, she is the only female creative director in parent company Kering's lineup. (It also owns Gucci, Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, and others.) There has been an outcry of late from industry-watchers about the lack of women at the top, but progress is being made—over at Givenchy, an LVMH brand, Sarah Burton has been tapped as that company's new lead. Her first collection will also arrive this year. Trotter has a varied resume: She has helmed Joseph, the British retailer-turned-label, Lacoste, and Carven over the past decade. She is known for her excellent taste, reflected in a blend of pragmatism and comfort, with hints of humor and eccentricity, too. What that means for Bottega Veneta: We might see a swing towards utility, but I also expect that Trotter will welcome the artistic legacy set by Blazy—while keeping it practical, too. Another big hire taking effect this spring is Peter Copping at Lanvin— which hasn't quite found its footing since the departure of Alber Elbaz in 2015. (The beloved designer passed away in 2021.) Of Lanvin's shifting leads over the past nine years, Copping has the most bonafides. His prior experience is vast, from Christian Lacroix to Louis Vuitton to Nina Ricci to Oscar de la Renta, where he once served as creative director. He's highly regarded for his sense of femininity; he creates beautiful work that veers towards the traditional, but with flourishes here and there. Watch the momentum at Lanvin; he feels like a good fit. New names have ascended to the top of fashion's most powerful houses. They represent a pivotal moment in the industry. Nick Remsen weighs in on what we might expect from the shift. A agents change Matthieu Blazy has been professionally linked to some of the most defining style chapters of the recent past. BALHAR B O U RSH O P S .CO M

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