Matthieu Blazy kicks off Chanel design reset with breezy silhouettes

PARIS (Reuters) -Chanel creative director Matthieu Blazy kicked off his design reboot of the century-old French fashion house on Monday with an evening runway show featuring dropped waists and long, button-up shirts, capping months of mounting suspense. Blazy, 41, snagged fashion's most coveted job in December. He is one of dozens of new designers recruited by labels seeking to spark the interest of inflation-weary shoppers. Blazy's debut at the Grand Palais in Paris drew swarms of guests decked out in the brand's signature tweed, the famous interlocking C logo visible on heels, jewellery and handbags. Inside, gigantic, glowing planets hovered in the vast glass-and-steel exposition hall.  Models marched down the slick, black runway, parading low-waisted skirts, silk tops and elongated twin sets with frayed edges. Red carpet looks included full skirts with piles of colorful feathers, dresses with extra flounce and glittering knitwear. Along with Chanel's classic-look leather handbags, models also paraded what the brand called "crushed" versions in gold and silver with exposed seams and open flaps. At the end of the show, the audience of over 2,000 gave a standing ovation as Blazy ran out for his bow. Blazy, who joined Chanel from Kering-owned Bottega Veneta, follows long-time Virginie Viard who left in June last year after a long collaboration with Karl Lagerfeld, the creative force behind the modern revival of Chanel until he died in 2019. Paris Fashion Week, which featured Saint Laurent, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Hermes and Balenciaga, finishes on Tuesday, concluding a month of shows in New York, London and Milan. (Reporting by Mimosa Spencer; Editing by Richard Chang)

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