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Bottega Veneta promotes Matthieu Blazy to role of creative director

Lauretta Roberts
16 November 2021

Bottega Veneta has promoted from within to replace its outgoing creative director Daniel Lee, elevating RTW design director Matthieu Blazy to the role with immediate effect.

Blazy has been with the Kering-owned house since 2020 and prior to that worked under Raf Simons at Calvin Klein, and like Lee, also had a stint at Céline. A graduate of La Cambre in Brussels, Blazy began his career working on Raf Simons' own brand and has also worked at Maison Margiela.

His first collection for Bottega Veneta will be shown in February 2022. All eyes will be on the designer to see if he can create the same buzz around the brand that his predecessor Lee did, when he arrived three years ago from Céline, and shook up its understated luxury approach in favour of bold silhouettes in even bolder colours, creating hits such as the much copied Pouch bag and Lido mules.

François-Henri Pinault, Chairman & CEO of Kering, said of Blazy's appointment: “The very solid foundations, specific codes and unique identity of Bottega Veneta enable us to nurture great ambitions for the future of this luxury House. I am confident that Matthieu Blazy’s wealth of experience and broad cultural background will allow him to bring his creative impetus to the task of carrying on the legacy of Bottega Veneta."

Bottega Veneta CEO Lee Rongone added: “Matthieu Blazy is an extraordinarily talented individual, whom I am proud and excited to entrust with the creative helm of our luxury House. Bottega Veneta has always been equated with signature craftsmanship and distinctive creativity. Matthieu’s appointment will further enhance the modern relevance of our brand and accelerate our growth, while preserving the values that are at the core of Bottega Veneta.”

British-born Daniel Lee's departure was announced last week, much to the surprise of the market. Lee's next move is not yet known but speculation surrounds a potential return to work for his old boss Phoebe Philo, formerly of Céline, who is now setting up her own label with the support of LVMH. Some have even linked Lee to a potential move to Burberry, where Riccardo Tisci's position is being questioned in light of the imminent departure of his mentor and Burberry's CEO Marco Gobbetti. Gobbetti, who is bound for Salvatore Ferragamo, is to be replaced by Versace's British CEO Jonathan Akeroyd.

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