Interesting how much in stark contrast the sea change in designer debuts manifests itself at the two most important houses in fashion. Jonathan Anderson’s Dior is about deep research, adding antiques and collectibles to the fashion universe and shape-shifting everything that has been known as Dior silhouettes while Matthieu Blazy at Chanel seems to work much more from the gut, his instincts and less bound by the expectations of what a house like Chanel needs to deliver. His best look at his ready-to-wear debut was dubbed a conversation with Place Vendôme’s Charvet and as a result had a white shirt paired with a feathered skirt on Penelope Ternes and he continued this direction for his beautiful Chanel Haute Couture S/S 2026 nature inspired show that elevated simple silhouettes and was about pristine fabrics in unfussy shapes.

Blazy focused on everyday garments in dry-cleaning-friendly fabrics like jersey and cotton and some raffia. Even with an incredible arsenal of suppliers at his fingertips from embroiderer Lesage to feather maker Lemarié, his instinct to stay away from overdoing which is often associated with Haute Couture felt brand new as he is finding his groove and language to design Chanel pieces. To quote Dieter Rams – “Less is more.” The ornamentation he leaves for later stages. The Joan Baez 60s protest music vibe added a refreshing layer to the proceedings which seemed to be a filtering process of what Chanel is at its essence without the tweed, pearls, camellias and jeweled buttons. Of course, it takes a lot of courage to center your designs on mushrooms and make them appear all throughout the collection or dot the set in the Grand Palais or mimic the shape of birds in dresses and capes. This earthy, utterly non-pretentious vibe is certainly going to shock some of the old Chanel clients and bring in a whole load of new ones.

What stood out?

His Margiela training came to the fore when a sheer white silk chiffon tank top and bluish muslin five-pocket jeans with studs paraded down the runway with a cardigan loosely held in the model’s hand with a curly tomboyish coif.