Chanel appears ready for some of its largest revamps ever. With Maison Margiela veteran Matthieu Blazy set to become Creative Director later this year in October, the classic house is evidently experimenting with new creative horizons. If the Spring-Summer 2025 ready-to-wear collection signaled this move towards camp looks, a complete departure from Chanel’s historically elegant, feminine codes then the newly released Fall-Winter 2025/26 line at Paris Haute Couture Week emphatically sealed the deal.
Tweed was the undisputed anchor of this lineup. Of the 46 looks, only a handful deviated from this heritage textile, no surprise with tweed’s roots so deep in Chanel’s past. The garments ranged from co-ords and open-front asymmetrical dresses to frameless gowns, many topped with fringed or frayed hems.
Sequins touch, gilded embellishments, and frosted mesh made appearances with outrageous ostrich feather coats, fake fur cropped jackets, trenches, bell bottoms, and unapologetically sharply cut skirts with pleats and tiers, all driving the designs further into camp playfulness. There was also camouflage tweed, again highlighting the brand’s trailblazing nature.
Double-layered skirts, tied with buckle belts, and copious ruffles were prominent, along with tiered pants and skirts, cape-cut shirts in bold herringbone designs, butter yellow splashes, and slender satin glimpses. Appliqué flowers, fitted frosted coats, and sarong-cut satin skirts all helped tell a very whimsical tale.
A Mix of Futuristic and Traditional Accents
Glimmers of ombre, transparent textiles, and flowing silhouettes, restrained by hip-length, high-neck buttoned jackets, gave fleeting respite between brasher ensembles. But also futuristic elements left their stamp, as latex elbow gloves and holographic accents conjured a “Gatsby of the future” aesthetic.
Volume grew exponentially with every wave of silhouettes down the runway. But throughout, layered thigh-highs in white, chocolate, and black were a consistent motif, quietly anchoring the collection in Chanel’s timeless DNA.
Guests Choose Timeless Chanel
While the brand itself goes headfirst into an aesthetic overhaul, guests at the Chanel Paris show remained true to classic style.
The front row was a procession of elegant fashion: Gracie Abrams in a tutu-print tiered mini, Lorde in an effortlessly chic LBD, Penelope Cruz in a business-suited tweed co-ord, and Keira Knightley in a ruffled, printed satin halter with a neck bow.
It was a testament worthy of the house’s long-standing legacy.
What’s Next for Chanel?
Whether these past two collections by the in-house design groups are indeed the beginning of the new era Matthieu Blazy will helm from October is to be seen. One thing is definite: Chanel’s visual evolution is headed in a whole new direction, and it’s probably going to never be the same thereafter.