In his debut Spring/Summer 2026 collection for Chanel, newly appointed Artistic Director of Fashion Activities, Matthieu Blazy, opens a poignant and poetic dialogue — not just with fabric and form, but with Gabrielle Chanel herself. Titled “Une Conversation”, the collection unfolds like a story in three chapters, each one echoing the eternal tension and harmony between tradition and transformation.
Blazy’s narrative begins with “Un Paradoxe,” grounding the collection in the legacy of menswear — a crisp shirt and tailored trousers inspired by Boy Capel, Gabrielle Chanel’s great love. These are not simply historical references but living pieces, reimagined in collaboration with historic French shirtmaker Charvet and anchored by Chanel’s unmistakable chain detail.
Masculine-style jackets are raw-edged, cut to Chanel proportions, and tweeds — agile and British in spirit — shift with purpose. This section plays with duality: the pragmatism of workwear is not divorced from the sensuality of draped silks and knotted knits. The silhouettes move fluidly from day to night, masculine to feminine, speaking to a woman who is, as Chanel herself once was, never just something — but someone.
In “Le Jour,” daywear is approached as a living archive. Classic pieces are deconstructed and reanimated, evolving in concert with the body. There’s a storied elegance here: the 2.55 bag is “crashed, crushed and cherished,” revealing its iconic burgundy lining. Camellias — crumpled and intrinsic — bloom from knitted silk suits.
Frayed tweeds are embroidered and refined, anchoring the present with echoes of the past. Architectural references run through this chapter — clean black-and-white lines reflect Art Deco geometry and the iconic simplicity of Chanel’s own packaging. Florals become abstract, petals painted by hand, cascading like memories through silk.
Finally, “L’Universel” pushes Chanel’s legacy into a borderless future. Here, the masculine returns — this time softened, reshaped in blousons. Material innovation is key: tweeds are reimagined in new weaves, linings become expressive canvases of silk print. The iconic Chanel suit is stripped to its architectural bones, revealing transparency and intricacy.
Jewelry becomes a constellation of contrasts — baroque pearls and glass planets, real and imagined treasures suspended in time. Familiar footwear shapes remain, with practical, grounded heels and the signature contrasting toe-cap propelling the wearer confidently into what’s next.
Above all, Blazy’s vision is one of freedom — a new kind of universality rooted in Chanel’s essence. It’s a collection that speaks not to a singular idea of womanhood, but to the multiplicity of Chanel women across time and space. In Une Conversation, love, work, memory, and imagination meet — and from that dialogue, a new chapter of modernity is born.
