Matthieu Blazy unveils stretchy tweed and 83 looks at Chanel Paris show

Grand Palais set and archival concept

The presentation took place at the Grand Palais in Paris on Monday evening, marking the first anniversary of Matthieu Blazy's appointment at Chanel. A flock of 95 giant white birds hung beneath the glass dome, while the floor featured a reflective green and orange resin finish. Blazy developed the visual concept during a holiday in southern Italy while watching migrating birds above the Crati River. For the show's soundtrack, actress Nicole Kidman read a passage regarding time and freedom from Virginia Woolf's novel To The Lighthouse. Model Dyanira Hurbuscher opened and closed the 83-look runway show carrying Gabrielle Chanel's personal 2.55 handbag from the house archives. Black-and-white promotional images by British photographer David Bailey accompanied the collection.

It's not a historical show, it's a show about the histories of Chanel.

Tweed innovations and ready-to-wear silhouettes

The collection explored the evolution of Gabrielle Chanel's personal wardrobe from Edwardian corsetry to modern tailoring. Its primary technical development was a flexible smocked tweed, engineered from compressed organza and silk to stretch and recover like activewear across the final 15 looks. Blazy altered traditional silhouettes by shortening pencil skirts with front and back walking slits and lowering waistbands to the hips. Tailoring drew from menswear through raw-edged waistcoats, deconstructed suits, and cropped tweed jackets worn directly against bare skin. Transparent skirts, embroidered tulle, and Degas-inspired tutus balanced the structured garments with lighter textures. A pearl-embroidered corset top paired with black trousers illustrated the ongoing dialogue between restriction and physical comfort.

Colour palette and accessories

Vibrant colour schemes and expressive patterns departed from the muted tones typical of recent luxury cycles. The runway featured tiger-print tweeds in red and white, windowpane patterns with mesh inserts, and layered silks mirroring shifting cloud formations. Chanel's traditional two-tone pumps appeared in leopard print, zebra stripes, yellow polka dots, and baby blue leather with metallic silver toes. Footwear selections also included chunky sandals displaying large interlocking gold C logos across the front. Quilted flap bags arrived in classic burgundy and black as well as clashing zebra patterns. Blazy greeted the audience after the finale to the synth instrumentation of the Britney Spears song Gimme More.

Chanel felt as alive as ever. The masculine wardrobe, the fluid dresses, the lingerie, the liberated body, brought a new sensuality to the house.

Commercial performance and runway attendance

The presentation concluded Blazy's first full year leading the French house following his appointment in 2025 as successor to Virginie Viard. Chanel currently holds the top position on the Lyst index of trending fashion brands. Privately held Chanel publishes complete financial filings once a year, but data published by Bloomberg recorded a 16% revenue increase across the first half of 2026. Blazy was also listed as the sole fashion designer in Vanity Fair's annual ranking of the world's 50 most powerful people. The front row at the Grand Palais included Pedro Pascal, Dua Lipa, Olivia Wilde, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, and John Malkovich.