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Takeaways from the Chanel haute couture show
This Tuesday, on July 8th, 2025, Chanel turned the Grand Palais into an intimate, plush salon to unveil its Fall/Winter 2025-2026 haute couture collection to a handpicked group of guests.
A decor inspired by haute couture salons
Designed by French-Canadian designer Willo Perron, the setting of the Chanel haute couture show plunges us in the atmosphere of the historic salons located 31 rue Cambon. It was in these salons that Gabrielle Chanel would present her collections to loyal customers and a handful of journalists during the last century.
From the carpet to the beige curtains hanging on the walls, the staging created a muted, intimate ambiance. In the heart of the Grand Palais’s Salon d’Honneur, guests settled comfortably on large, and of course, beige sofas…
Back to basics at the Chanel show
A seemingly simple, yet incredibly elegant setting, which subtly introduced the inspirations of the Chanel Fall/Winter 2025-2026 haute couture show. Designed by the in-house studio, the collection once again pays tribute to the house’s rich heritage and its founder. Indeed, Matthieu Blazy has just taken on the role as Chanel artistic director. Thus, he will not present any show until the Fashion Week in September.
Returning to the roots of the house, the pieces draw from the great classics of the winter wardrobe. The collection features suits, coats, sweaters in understated, natural tones like ecru, ivory, brown, green, and black. Chanel’s exceptional craftsmanship is on full display with the fabrics and embroideries. Mohair wool appears on two suits, while the house’s iconic tweed is paired with feathers to create the illusion of faux fur on a pantsuit, a cape, and a cropped jacket.
The wheat stalk, a powerful symbol of Coco Chanel
As a central motif in this Chanel haute couture collection, the wheat stalk appears on many silhouettes. As jewel-like buttons, as feathers woven into chiffon ruffles on a dress, embellishing the neckline of the wedding gown… and even in its most literal form, carried as a bouquet by the traditional bride who closes the Chanel Fall/Winter 2025-2026 couture show.
This symbol also refers to the life of Gabrielle Chanel herself. Born on August 19th, the day of the harvest festival, the French designer embraced the wheat stalk as her good-luck charm. It could be found in the paintings and furnishings of her Paris apartment, as well as in her suite at the Ritz. She wove it into her collections as well.
