7 October 2025 |
Matthieu Blazy’s much anticipated debut received a standing ovation.
The most anticipated debut in a season chock full of debuts has finally come to pass and what a show it was. Matthieu Blazy was named Chanel’s newest creative director, now formally restyled as Artistic Director of Fashion Activities, in December 2024 and since then speculation has been rampant. What would be his vision? How do you reinvent something so immensely recognizable and entrenched in fashion history? Ten months later, the monumental task came to realization and it exceeded expectations. You only needed to hear the rousing cheers as the audience took to their feet at the finale as proof.
Held at the Grand Palais, guests entered a room set to look like a fantastical sky at night with colorful planets suspended across the sprawling space. If Chanel is the biggest fashion dream of them all, Blazy decided to reach for beyond the stars. “I wanted to do something quite universal, like a dream, something outside of time, and I was fascinated by the universe of stars, a theme so dear to the House. We all observe the same sky, and I think it provokes the same emotions in us,” said Blazy on a post in Instagram, prior to the show.
It might have been a universe created by Gabrielle Chanel but in Blazy’s hands, it honored the past while propelling it solidly in the future. That was evident from the opening look, which referenced not the little black dress nor the tweed suit as one would expect. Instead, the designer chose menswear, as a nod to Boy Capel, Chanel’s romantic partner and someone she’d frequently borrow clothes from. The cropped blazer, low slung trousers, and silk shirt (the original one was by Charvet and now it’s made in conjunction with Chanel) with its sleeves casually rolled up was equal parts feminine and masculine. It set the tone for Blazy’s woman — she’s elegant but not perfect, always chic with a sense of cool.
From there the looks segued into relaxed versions of Chanel classics. The beloved tweed jacket is no longer cut close to the body, instead it slouches off the body, worn with both mini and drop waisted midi-skirts. Black and white silk dresses, some covered with flowers spoke to the brand’s recognizable signature packaging, offering slinky evening options. Blazy also brought in his signature touches, like fringed trimmed dresses, hats, and collars that swished with every step as well as ruffled skirts that bounced with every step. Towards the end, it was a riot of color from a beaded sheer gown fit for a red carpet to the closing look, a silk tee tucked into a ballgown that was covered in a rainbow of shredded fabric flowers, as if a supernova exploded.
As much as the LBD and the tweed jacket are synonymous with Chanel, so too are lust-worthy shoes and handbags. In Blazy’s world, the beloved 2.55 is treated less like a precious object but more like a possession that gets crushed up with its signature burgundy lining exposed. As for the heels, you won’t find anything uncomfortable or blister-inducing as the backs are made to be as soft as slippers. Luxury that’s made to be worn? Talk about a radical idea worthy of Gabrielle Chanel’s legacy.
