Chanel Lavishes Praise on Matthieu Blazy for Combusting the Charvet Marriage

Chanel Praises Matthieu Blazy, Anne's Mycelium Man, for Combusting the Charvet Marriage AOC New Humanism

Chanel, Charvet and a Grand Love Affair

There’s major romance in this Chanel buys Charvet business story, spring-boarded by the intense love affair between Coco Chanel and Arthur ‘Boy’ Capel. As a stand-alone human relationship story between the couple, the facts are cinematic.

Chanel, the great luxury brand being rebirthed by Matthieu Blazy, CEO Leena Nair, Bruno Pavlovsky and the entire Chanel family of artisans and shopkeepers, is built on a poignant love story that is symbolized by Charvet shirts.

Aristocratic Heartbreak

Knowing that Capel was married to British aristocrat Lady Diana Wyndham, in line with societal expectations. it’s only in this moment that AOC learns that the marriage took place in 1918, a decade after the lovers Chanel and Capel were introduced by Chanel’s first wealthy patron, Étienne Balsan.

Once again, AOC felt the pain that Coco Chanel experienced as the day she dreaded — the day Capel would marry — became a reality.

Coco Chanel was acutely aware of the rigid social classes of the era. Because she was born into poverty and had a background as a cabaret singer, the designer knew an English aristocrat like Capel would never be permitted by high society to marry her.

I can’t think of another luxury fashion designer whose life story is this complex, with new to me details continuing to emerge as AOC asks questions. Just imagine the stories the new Chanel designer has at his fingertips.

To share a little secret with you, I call him the New Humanism Mycelium Man. It’s the highest compliment I can give him.

Empath Creator Matthieu Blazy Was Also Moved

Matthieu Blazy made a similar discovery in 2025, when he moved to Chanel. Like me, Blazy was deeply moved by the Arthur ‘Boy’ Capel story. Armed with the knowledge that Coco Chanel bought shirts for her lover Boy Capel at Charvet — and probably borrowed them regularly — Blazy decided to introduce himself to the famous shirtmaker, then owned by siblings Anne-Marie and Jean-Claude Colban.