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Matthieu Blazy dreams couture at Chanel
On January 27th, 2026, Matthieu Blazy unveiled his first couture collection for the house of Chanel. Set in a forest of willows and mushrooms bathed in the light of dawn, this poetic and diaphanous Spring/Summer 2026 show embarks us on a dreamy journey.
By Léa Zetlaoui.
Matthieu Blazy’s haute couture reverie
Is Matthieu Blazy living a dream? That was certainly the impression left by his debut couture show for Chanel, presented on January 27th, 2026, beneath the nave of the Grand Palais.
After the galactic night of his debut ready-to-wear show last September, the Franco-Belgian designer shifted the scenography toward the glow of daybreak. A soft pink forest of willows and mushrooms rose beneath the monumental dome of glass and steel. Playing on the contrast between human craftsmanship and nature, the setting evoked the dreamlike world of Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki.
But conjuring dreams is also the very essence of couture. In an age of industrialization and dematerialization, the few houses that still uphold it remain the only guarantees protecting these unique skills. Chanel is one of them.
Chanel, the essence of couture
“Haute couture is the very soul of Chanel – it is the foundation and the full expression of the house. These are clothes that are as much about the wearer as the designer. It’s the clothes worn that give them a true story; their own story and an emotional resonance, giving women a canvas to tell their own story,” Matthieu Blazy explained in his show notes.
Gabrielle Chanel, who rose to fame for her hats and became the milliner of Parisian high society, created her first couture collection in 1915. At the time, ready-to-wear didn’t exist yet. Her sober, pared-down style liberated women from corsets and other limitations, and reduced the silhouettes to essentials. So much so that writer Paul Morand (1888-1976) would later say that she “invented poverty for billionaires” with her little black dress. Ultimately, the future proved Gabrielle Chanel right.
One hundred and eleven years later, Matthieu Blazy carries on this quest for lightness through fifty-four diaphanous couture silhouettes. “The garment moves with the impulse of the woman who wears it. In its lightness, it reveals and celebrates her personality,” he continues. Take the first look, for instance – a see-through suit layered with soft-toned silk mousseline. Introduced in 1954, the Chanel suit marked a new chapter in the designer’s life.
Matthieu Blazy’s breakthrough
In his debut show, Matthieu Blazy invoked the woman behind the designer. Rather than leaning on Chanel’s established codes, he chose to draw from Gabrielle Chanel’s personal style and offer a complete rereading of the house’s legacy. Yet, with this Spring/Summer 2026 couture show, he links both approaches and infuses the collection with his own stylistic language.
The house’s iconic symbols appear here and there throughout the collection in a love letter, a bottle of No. 5, a red lipstick. They are “tucked into a pocket, embroidered in a lining, slipped onto the signature chain or revamped as a misty version of the iconic bag.”
Then comes the transformation. Women are morphing into birds, and with them, the house’s aesthetic adopts a new direction. Carried by the artistry of the “flou” and “tailleur” ateliers and the skills of the Maisons d’art from 19M, the silhouettes are adorned in intricate feathers crafted by embroiderers, weavers, and pleaters, ranging from raven black to iridescent shimmer and from the simple pigeon to the extravagant cockatoo. In this fantastical celebration of craftsmanship, the touch of the creative director appointed in 2025 begins to take shape.
In the end, we already know what the highlights of this Spring/Summer 2026 couture Fashion Week are. First, Jonathan Anderson’s breakthrough at Dior, then Matthieu Blazy’s debut at Chanel.
All the looks from the Chanel Spring/Summer 2026 couture show
