Guns for Hire

The heartbreaking, soul-crushing instability that is fashion today.

• Also in this issue: A remembrance of legendary fashion editor Polly Mellen, who died last week at 100.

Matthieu Blazy, new creative director for Chanel.

Last week, fashion put out more staffing announcements than the Trump transition team.

To recap:

• Chanel announced that, after a six-month search, it was stealing Belgian designer Matthieu Blazy from Bottega Veneta, a Milanese leathergood’s company owned by Kering.

• Bottega Veneta announced that it was stealing British designer Louise Trotter from Carven, a French luxury brand owned by the Icicle, a fashion group based in Paris and Shanghai.

• Carven didn’t announce that they’d stolen anyone from anywhere, so they’re probably calling a headhunter.

• John Galliano announced that he was leaving Maison Margiela, which wasn’t much of a surprise. I think I wrote that last winter. Where he’s going is anybody’s guess. Though—despite diehard fans wishing for the contrary—it clearly isn’t Chanel.