The fashion industry is no stranger to shock exits: Raf Simon’s short-lived tenure at Calvin Klein 205w39nyc, Jil Sander’s trio of Prada departures, and of course Daniel Lee’s dramatic ending at Bottega Veneta all come to mind. The latter is of particular interest, as Bottega Veneta has announced that its new Creative Director, Matthieu Blazy, will be heading to Milan Fashion Week on February 26 to showcase his first collection. And unavoidably, Blazy has big shoes to fill following Lee’s tour de force and sudden departure at the Kering-owned house. 

Prior to Lee’s appointment as the Creative Director in 2018, Bottega Veneta was a brand reserved for fashion’s elite and was known for its retiring approach. “It lacked oomph. It lacked desirability. And it lacked youth,” said Vogue France’s Dan Thawley. But all that changed under Lee, who not only produced must-have accessories such as the Cassette bag, Pouch bag, the Puddle boot and the Tire boot, but also contemporized the house’s signature Intrecciato weave by super-sizing it. Putting these fan-favorites onto celebrities and influencers (especially when the brand was still on Instagram), as well as capitalizing on a signature shade of “Parakeet” green, catapulted Bottega Veneta to new heights. Consumers wanted anything “Bottega Green,” and the brand rose to stardom that many rivals could only ever dream of. 

Despite the turbulence, Kering acknowledged the “new energy” Lee brought the brand, while Leo Rongone, CEO of Bottega Veneta noted how, “[Lee] provided Bottega Veneta with a fresh perspective and a new sense of modernity, while remaining respectful of the brand’s fifty-year heritage. The remarkable growth of the brand over the last three years bears testimony to the success of his creative work.” Considering the momentum into which Matthieu Blazy is stepping, what should we expect from his first collection?

Blazy first cut his teeth as Raf Simons’ men’s designer, before heading to Maison Martin Margiela to look after the “Artisinal” line and the women’s ready-to-wear show – hitting fame when Kanye West wore the FW13 “Artisinal” encrusted masks during the YEEZUS tour. Blazy then moved to Pheobe Philo’s Céline as the senior designer in 2014 (working alongside Daniel Lee who was the director of ready-to-wear design at the time), and came back to Simons in 2016 at Calvin Klein. All of his work was underpinned by his studies at Brussels’ renowned visual arts school La Cambre, which often places alumni at houses in Milan and Paris. Up until enrolling as Creative Director, Blazy served as “New Bottega’s” RTW design director under Lee. Undoubtedly, he’s got the credentials to take the helm. 

When news broke that Blazy would replace Lee, Rongone said: “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.” Breaking that down into “modern relevance” and core “values,” Blazy’s task is to continue the much-loved and Instagramable products that are funding Bottega’s more adventurous runway pieces, while also offering an air of exclusivity and luxury, simultaneously maintaining the brand’s popularity. 

His new role is akin to Alessandro Michele’s promotion at Gucci, or Virginie Viard at Chanel following Karl Largerfeld’s death. However, while these two transformed their respective labels, Bottega Veneta has already been reinvented, so a dramatic change from Blazy shouldn’t be on the cards – at first. 

Instead, as Daniel Lee’s ex-right-hand man, it’s more likely that Blazy will continue to deliver what has made Bottega Veneta so desirable. The upcoming runway will likely see a stunning, and now-expected, application of fabrics forming multi-thousand-dollar outerwear, a steady presence of house icons such as the Intreccio jacquard or V-shaped pockets gracing RTW essentials, and of course plenty of accessories and shoes. After all, with such success in the latter areas why would Bottega Veneta want to shift away from bags and boots? 

Hopefully, we’ll also get a hint at what else is to come under Blazy’s direction. It seems that the signature shade of green is going nowhere if Bottega Veneta’s new app has anything to say about it, which debuted earlier this week alongside a statement. “Utilizing the signature parakeet green and transforming it into a ‘green screen,’” the statement said, “a doorway into the world of the brand is revealed in the run-up to Matthieu Blazy’s debut collection, appearing wherever green may be.” With that staying, perhaps the new Creative Director will apply green to more than just signature silhouettes, presenting a collection that starts to push the sartorial boundaries. 

The brand’s current shoppable selection includes a handful of such examples, notably flared trousers, laser-cut jackets and graphic knitwear, breaking out of the brand’s mold of predominantly producing subdued attire and tailored shapes in cream and black hues. It’s a chance for Blazy to really look forward, taking triangular motifs to the next level and injecting them into the inspiration of garments – rather than just leaving this at accents – and elevating some of the streetwear-infused introductions that Lee gave us before. 

By doing so, Blazy has an opportunity to take Bottega Veneta to another level, one that’s not just desirable but also sets the tone for the season to a wider range of customers. Technical jackets, liquid metal-like green utility wear and that darkened chrome boiler suit from “Salon 03” were a great start, and this is the direction Blazy needs to run with to not just put his stamp on the brand, but to keep it relevant to the masses – rather than returning back to the Tomas Maier-era of discreet-chic Bottega Veneta. As a result, the label has the chance to go from making “it” bags worn by influencers to one that echoes the success of Virgil Abloh’s Louis Vuitton or Kim Jones’ Dior: not readily obtainable for most, but so admired that we’ll do whatever it takes to be in on the action.

Matthieu Blazy has always been behind the scenes; we don’t know who he is yet. Regardless, his debut collection for Bottega Veneta coming on February 26 at 8 p.m. CET, shown at the rumored headquarters-to-be Palazzo San Fedele in Milan, will hopefully tell all.