July 8, 2026 |
Why are people so obsessed with Matthieu Blazy’s Chanel? Perhaps it’s the joyful shot of positivity he brings to the catwalk, which makes even the most sophisticated clothes seem easy – in attitude if not in make. Or perhaps it’s the relatability of his silhouettes. You want a chic skirt suit or an utterly elegant black dress? Blazy has it. At couture level, those appealing qualities are amplified by craft.
Each piece is so intensely laden with stories and symbols that you can’t help being drawn in. Stories were at the heart of this couture show. Blazy turned to fairy tales for inspiration after finding a leather-bound book of them in Coco’s apartment. His charming Jack and the Beanstalk-themed teaser for his collection set the tone, as did his magic beanstalk set. The atelier did the rest, infusing every look with delightful fairy tale narratives creating a whimsical, wonderland collection.
Magic beans became darling little minaudières or were cast in silver for buttons on a gossamer light jacket. Jack and his beanstalk were sculpted into the heels of extraordinary shoes (these and the pea pod and golden egg heels will only stoke the flames of Chanel shoe mania), whilst his golden goose became a delightful evening bag.
The magic of couture was fully expressed. Intense, blossoming 3D vine embroidery snaked over a suit. A Goldilocks tweed suit featured three gold bears as buttons and a silk lining painted with illustrations from the story. Puss in Boots buttons adorned another jacket. A colourful bird hovered on the hip of a long white tweed dress, or was hidden beneath the jacket – only the wearer would know it was there. Similarly, into the lining of business-like coats, Post—It notes, to-do lists and memos were hand stitched.
Blazy said these private details went to the heart of the house: “Chanel couture is not about the big ‘wow’. Chanel couture is about the details. If people think that couture is a big painting, I think maybe at Chanel, it’s more like a miniature or something that feels precious, but that you can also put in your pocket.”
The collection thrilled with intense textures and hand-crafted fabrics. One of the most striking looks was based on a scarecrow, with straw a jacket made from raffia and check shirt and jeans rendered in bespoke tweed.
Blazy defied couture convention, closing his show not with traditional wedding dress but a devastatingly chic black dress. He dubbed it “the revenge dress”, so called because Chanel lived a rags to riches, fairy tale life (with some dark corners) but never got married. As ever, he gave the last word to Coco.
Photography courtesy of Chanel.
