Matthieu Blazy debuts at Chanel
On the 6th of October, Matthieu Blazy made his stellar debut at Chanel, showcasing his Spring/Summer 2026 collection at the Grand Palais in Paris.
Blazy showcased his collection against a cosmic backdrop, featuring planets and constellations that Chloe Malle, head of editorial content at Vogue, described as feeling like you’re going ‘into a new galaxy’, marking the shift from Karl Lagerfeld’s legacy into a new era at Chanel. The collection perfectly maintained Chanel's roots as a fashion house, using core fabrics like tweed, jersey, and silk, reworking them to showcase both the house's history and Blazy’s new direction. The colour palette was muted, mainly featuring black, white, and grey in the majority, using tailored clothing to maintain the history of the fashion house, interpolated with bursts of red and burgundy, a homage to Gabrielle Chanel’s preference for lining her bags with burgundy so that she could easily see her jewellery inside them.
The show was divided into three parts, each with a distinct intention, tying the roots of the fashion house to the future in a modern take characteristic of Blazy’s work. The first part, titled Le Paradoxe (‘The Paradox’), pays homage to Coco Chanel’s enjoyment of men’s clothing as well as her seductive and charming nature. Speaking to Vogue, Blazy mentioned that Coco did not want to “look like a woman that men bought everything for”; her clothes were born out of practicality and suitability for her enjoyment of life. On the catwalk, this sentiment is manifested in the show's first look: a suit that is much more relaxed and less restrictive than stereotypical women’s clothing.
The second act of the show, Le Jour (‘The Day’), demonstrates the collection's ability to be worn in day-to-day life, reflected in skirt suits and more relaxed visions of the typical Chanel tailoring. This collection is modern and fresh, as dynamic as Blazy himself. A standout look featured a skirt seemingly suspended from the hem of a jumper, followed by a collection of white dresses, symbolising Blazy’s commitment, or marriage, to Chanel.
The show’s closing chapter, L’Universel (‘The Universal’), labels Chanel as a truly global brand, wearable for anyone, as long as they can afford it. In this section of the show, different fabrics flirt, free from their usual typecasting. Tweeds are featured alongside sheer fabrics, moving beyond their historical use and towards a future that embodies modernity and excitement, all the while paying homage to the creator of Chanel through the emphasis on her values, such as future thinking, fluidity, and flexibility.
Alongside the intentional sectioning of the show to mirror Blazy’s relationship with Chanel, the show’s set was a key player in demonstrating the new direction of the fashion house. The fifteen glowing planets a
dorning the catwalk and the air above illuminated the show, contrasting the more subtle colours of the clothes, their bright palettes bringing the new collection to life. Blazy has created a new universe for his vision, using the planets to materialise Chanel's future as an entity. Models walked amongst them, over a reflective floor which is dashed with sand, giving the impression not only of full immersion in this new universe, but also of the enduring sands of time, demonstrating the history of Chanel as a fashion house and the future that stretches before it.
Sonically, the show used a variety of soundbites and songs to bring to life the new collection, with an imagined conversation with Coco characterising this particular showcase, presenting a conversation between the past and present, as Blazy honours the longtime traditions of Chanel while also bringing his new vision to life and showing us the direction he plans to take into the future.
Blazy’s debut at Chanel is a perfect combination of legacy and inspiration, taking the Maison's roots, tweed, tailoring, and suits, and reworking them to represent a new vision for the brand. Blazy’s understanding of Gabrielle Chanel’s original vision for Chanel is unmistakable. He remains deeply respectful of her legacy while advancing an innovative and exciting vision.
Written by @freyadunlop
Copyedited by @f4wnfatale (Shaunamay)
