Chanel SS 2026 show: between cosmos and Haute Couture at the Grand Palais

Last night, Paris vibrated to the rhythm of a stylistic revelation in the historic nave of the Grand Palais, at the Chanel Spring-Summer/SS 2026 fashion show.

The brand-new face of Chanel creation, Matthieu Blazy, has made his mark with a fresh breath right from the start. Formerly of Bottega Veneta, he succeeds Virginie Viard, who leaves in June 2024. Blazy wanted to break with a too-wise approach to inject narrative, aspiration and movement – while retaining the house’s fundamentals: tweed, jersey and silk, set in contemporary frames. He evoked the idea of an “imaginary conversation” with Gabrielle Chanel, a dialogue between heritage and modern freedoms. On the catwalk, his cuts are airy, the falls fluid, the silhouettes often deconstructed. Matthieu Blazy claims playfulness and insouciance, but also rigorous attention to detail.

Mise en scène: the planets invite themselves to the Grand Palais

The theme of planetology may have seemed ambitious, but the scenography brought it to life with panache. The Grand Palais was transformed into a suspended cosmos, a starry sky populated by luminescent planets floating above the catwalk. The catwalk floor, lighting and visual effects formed a galactic universe in which the models moved as if in light gravity. This cosmic dimension offered a powerful metaphor: Chanel is projecting itself into the era of renewal, in a stylistic odyssey that dialogues with the infinite.

Transitions between universes of light and zones of shadow played on dramatic intensity. The show was not limited to clothes: space became a character, fashion an interstellar voyage.

The show: style, materials and codes revisited

Matthieu Blazy doesn’t throw Chanel codes out the window; he observes them, dissects them, then sets them in motion again. Tweed comes in shortened jackets, subtle bangs and asymmetry. Jersey is used for flowing blouses and silk crepe for dresses with floating drapes. Contrasting textures bring relief to a collection that exudes freedom and precision.

The balance between masculine and feminine has been rethought: straight shirts, ample pants, revisited twin-sets, light pleated skirts. The colors, true to the Chanel spirit – black, white, ecru – are tinged with cosmic nuances: deep blues, metallic silver, pale gold. The finale, a skirt of iridescent feathers, drew a standing ovation, symbolizing couture that is both dreamy and masterful.

People: Paris in the spotlight

As always at Chanel, the front row was almost worth a catwalk show in itself. Nicole Kidman, radiant in a cream suit, met up with Margot Robbie, all chic minimalism. Penélope Cruz warmly greeted Pedro Pascal, while Kendall Jenner exchanged words with Tilda Swinton, a lanky figure in a graphic black coat. Naomi Campbell, eternal muse, attracted flashbulbs, soon joined by Vanessa Paradis and Lily-Rose Depp, inseparable mother-daughter duo. Ayo Edebiri, the brand’s new ambassador, was also on hand, as were Maya Rudolph, Paloma Elsesser and Michaela Coel, all decked out in outfits from the collection. This mix of generations and aesthetics, between Hollywood stars and contemporary faces, embodies the transition that Matthieu Blazy seems to want to bring about: a house that is resolutely Parisian, yet open to the world.

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In the hushed salons of Paris, this show is already considered the launch of a new era for Chanel, a moment suspended between heritage and exploration. Parisians, lovers of fashion and spectacle, will remember this night when the planets danced above them, and couture once again found its horizon. Bravo Monsieur Blazy!

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