Chanel debuts camp-esque, whimsical Fall-Winter 2025/26 collection at Paris Haute Couture Week: Guests keep it classic
There seems to be QUITE the disruptive chasm in Chanel's legacy-clad public and sartorial persona as Matthieu Blazy prepares for his Creative Director debut
Chanel is anticipatedly, going through it's strongest winds of change with Maison Margiela alum Matthieu Blazy set to to take over as Creative Director, his debut slotted for later this year in October.
If the Spring-Summer 2025 ready-to-wear collection was anything to go by, Chanel is seemingly toying with the idea of having a few fingers firmly rooted in the camp end of the spectrum, a wild, wild shift from its staunchly stoic and feminine flair. And the Fall-Winter 2025/26 collection, showcased at the currently ongoing Paris Haute Couture Week, happily corroborates this.
Highlights
The Fall-Winter line was drowning in tweed, and that is no exaggeration. Across the 46 looks, there were hardly 5 which didn't carry tweed — forgivable, considering the texture is akin to the backbone of Chanel's legacy. The silhouettes ranged from co-ords, to open-front asymmetrical dresses and frameless-gowns, most of which were framed in with fringed and frayed hemlines.
{{/usCountry}}The Fall-Winter line was drowning in tweed, and that is no exaggeration. Across the 46 looks, there were hardly 5 which didn't carry tweed — forgivable, considering the texture is akin to the backbone of Chanel's legacy. The silhouettes ranged from co-ords, to open-front asymmetrical dresses and frameless-gowns, most of which were framed in with fringed and frayed hemlines.
{{/usCountry}}Sequin trimmings, proud gold accents and frosted mesh made occasional appearances with the bourgeoning ostrich feather jackets and faux fur crop blazers as well as trenches, bell bottoms and tailored skirts with pleated and tiered details, all helping the looks edge their way into camp territory. The recurring splashes of camouflage in tweed also echoed this attempt.
{{/usCountry}}Sequin trimmings, proud gold accents and frosted mesh made occasional appearances with the bourgeoning ostrich feather jackets and faux fur crop blazers as well as trenches, bell bottoms and tailored skirts with pleated and tiered details, all helping the looks edge their way into camp territory. The recurring splashes of camouflage in tweed also echoed this attempt.
{{/usCountry}}The double layered skirts cinched with buckle belts, ruffles and tiers, both in skirts and trousers, cape-style shirts laced with aggressive herringbone patterning, peaks of butter yellow, occasional glimpses of satin, applique flowers, tightly-tailored and frosted coats and sarong-style satin skirts thrust the collection into foolproof whimsicality.
{{/usCountry}}The double layered skirts cinched with buckle belts, ruffles and tiers, both in skirts and trousers, cape-style shirts laced with aggressive herringbone patterning, peaks of butter yellow, occasional glimpses of satin, applique flowers, tightly-tailored and frosted coats and sarong-style satin skirts thrust the collection into foolproof whimsicality.
{{/usCountry}}Little hints of ombre, sheer and flow, boxed in with hip-long high-neck buttoned coats served as breathers between looks, though interludes of Gatsby from the future with latex elbow gloves and happy holographic hits set the tone straight.
The volumes really turned with each series of silhouettes floating down the runway, but the one constant across each of these 46 looks were the layered thigh-highs in white, chocolate or black — a detail which somehow managed to keep the original Chanel aura rooted.
The guests kept it classic
The faces dotting the winding arches of a Chanel runway have no choice but to be impeccably turned out. Now while the luxury pillar itself seems to be very aggressively embracing a catatonic shift in its prime aesthetic, the guests for the house's Paris Haute Couture Week show very seriously adhered to classic expressions of what the giant stands to represent.
Be it Gracie Abrams' tutu-inspired tiered mini, Lorde's blissfully classic LBD, Penelope Cruz's all-business tweed co-ord or Keira Knightley's ruffled and printed satin halter, bowed at the neck — the aisles definitely looked like a Chanel showcase was underway.
Whether the last two collections pushed out by design studio teams is an accurate reflection of Chanel's updated era of aesthetics set to be helmed by Matthieu come October, only time will tell — but one thing's for sure, it's likely to never be the same again.
So what's the verdict: Promising or perplexing?
