At the Grand Palais, Chanel transforms its pumps into fairy tales with heels sculpted in the shapes of a hen, a butterfly, and a golden egg
At the Grand Palais in Paris, during Fashion Week in July 2026, Matthieu Blazy presented his second haute couture collection for Chanel. The shoes featured in the show caught everyone’s eye, as they alone tell a story far greater than fashion itself.
Heels like sculptures from a fairy tale
Each pair of shoes presented that evening looked more like a piece of craftsmanship than a fashion accessory. Matthieu Blazy played with the proportions of the brand’s famous cap-toe style —an aesthetic that originated in 1957—to incorporate details of astonishing precision.
For example, a pair of bright green crocodile-leather pumps with red toes features asymmetrical , hand-sculpted heels. On one side, there’s a miniature garden with a butterfly, a hummingbird, and a little figure wearing yellow boots and a coat. On the other side, a second heel that’s just as intricately crafted. These two heels are not alike: this is intentional, and that’s precisely what makes the design so striking.
Other cap-toe slingback styles feature a sculpted chicken on one heel and an egg on the other. Some pairs have heels entirely covered in beige straw, adorned with floral motifs. In addition, the collection features a wide variety of color-block pumps, in materials such as animal prints, metallics, fur, and mesh.
The Philosophy of the Precious Detail
“Chanel couture doesn’t aim for the big ‘wow’ factor. It focuses on the details. If couture is like a grand painting, at Chanel it’s more like a miniature—something precious that you can even slip into your pocket.”
This statement by Matthieu Blazy sums up his approach to the brand. It’s not about spectacular effects, but rather about little treasures that you discover as you look more closely. In this sense, the shoes become the heart of the collection.
From his very first appearance for Chanel, with the Spring 2026 ready-to-wear collection, Blazy had already begun to reinterpret the cap-toe. His second couture collection, however, goes much further in terms of ornamentation and visual storytelling.
An old book found in Coco’s apartment
To understand the origins of this collection, we have to go back to a specific object. Backstage, Matthieu Blazy was holding an old leather-bound book filled with classic fairy tales. He had found it in Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel’s Paris apartment.
This book led him to a personal question: Was Gabrielle’s life itself a fairy tale? Had she, too, climbed her ladder to find her golden egg? Fairy tales such as Jack and the Beanstalk and Goldilocks and the Three Bears thus guided the creative choices throughout the entire collection.
- Cap-toe pumps with heels featuring engraved garden scenes, including a butterfly and a hummingbird
- Cap-toe slingback with a carved chicken on one side and an egg on the other
- Heels entirely covered in beige straw and adorned with flowers
- Color-block pumps featuring animal prints, metallic finishes, faux fur, and mesh
- Clutch bags shaped like chickens or sleeping bears are also on the menu
As a result, shoes are not merely accessories. They tell a complete story, from the pointed toe to the sculpted heel. Each pair thus becomes an object to admire, to talk about, and to collect.
Items that are already attracting customers
Fashion critic Joelle Diderich, who wrote the runway review for WWD, believes these designs will have customers flocking to the stores. She singles out, in particular, the animal-shaped clutches and shoes with heels sculpted to resemble golden eggs or butterflies.
Indeed, these pieces go beyond the usual realm of understated luxury. Instead, they offer a visual delight that is rare in haute couture, which often leans more toward restraint than unabashed whimsy.
Matthieu Blazy Brings His Vision to Life in the Home
With this second collection, Blazy reaffirms a clear direction for Chanel: greatness lies in the little things. While this vision is not new to him, it finds particularly fertile ground within the house.
First, he builds on the legacy of the cap-toe—a signature style that Chanel introduced in 1957. Next, he adjusts its proportions and adds a layer of narrative. The result is a couture collection that speaks to both the heart and the eyes.
The collection presented at the Grand Palais on July 7, 2026, therefore marks a clear milestone in the development of this chapter. Blazy does not seek to rewrite the house’s history, but rather to add a new page to it—one that is precious and full of life.
