Chanel’s New Galaxy (of stars!)

As we’ve been saying for months, ever since he was appointed to what is considered to be the most coveted job in fashion, Matthieu Blazy’s debut at Chanel was the biggest, reddest circle on the calendar at Paris Fashion Week this season. There were Expectations, not just in the industry but even for casual fashion watchers considering, well, how underwhelming Chanel has been for the last few years. 

Under all that pressure, and under and among all those planets and celestial bodies that turned the set into a galaxy experience, Matthieu Blazy delivered. The collection was exuberant and fresh, and the Chanel code was there, just deconstructed and reimagined for a new era. There was tweed, but sheer and frayed. There was black and white, but in layers with drop waist skirts. There were pearls but they had much more attitude. And the camellia was present but she was pulled apart, made spiky, and shaped into headwear. This line is ambitious, it is bold, but it’s also reverential. The inspiration is all there in the house archives, every look and detail had a point of reference to the past, but lives firmly in the present-future. An overwhelmingly impressive beginning to Matthieu Blazy’s tenure. And if this is the confidence he's already showing in ready-to-wear, I can’t f-cking wait to see what he throws down during couture week. 

@chanelofficial

This is a universe, the Universe of CHANEL. Beyond space and time, a conversation unfolds between CHANEL’s Artistic Director of Fashion Activities Matthieu Blazy and Gabrielle Chanel. An idea of the future from the past is found in the House’s fundamentals: tweed, jersey and silk; the architecture of the CHANEL suit laid bare; jewellery, so intrinsic to CHANEL, is loaded and treasured. Above all, there is an idea of freedom, of a silhouette in motion. The idea of not just one CHANEL woman, but rather, of CHANEL women. CHANEL Spring Summer 2026 collection. Matthieu Blazy for CHANEL. See more at chanel.com #CHANELSpringSummer #CHANELShow

♬ son original - ChanelOfficial

Since this is the fashion industry, though, and there’s no shortage of bitchiness in this space, even though Matthieu’s known to be one of the nicest people in fashion, there is some gossip. 

You’ll recall, Hedi Slimane was one of the designers who was campaigning for the job at Chanel. This is what Hedi posted on Instagram pretty much right after the Chanel show. 

Petty fashion girls! 

As for the fashion girls who weren’t as messy who were at the show – as noted yesterday, Ayo Edebiri was announced as Chanel’s first ambassador after Matthieu Blazy’s takeover and here she is in her first official look as a Chanel girl with a bob and a gorgeous jacket over jeans. 

Like Nicole Kidman, the vibe for the ambassadors was an intentional departure from what the Chanel front row used to look like. On Nicole the tailored shirt and trousers that can be dressed up or down; on Ayo the tailored blazer and cuffed denim; and on Margot Robbie a pair of baggy black pants with a sports coat open over a tiny bra. 

Finally we can love Margot in Chanel! Margot was seated next to Pedro Pascal. These two look like they could get up to some trouble. I want that movie. 

@ellefrance

#margotrobbie et #pedropascal au défilé #chanel #tiktokfashion #onregardequoi

♬ Daydream - Carly Pearl