Fashion powerhouse Chanel transformed the Paris front row into a cinematic spectacle on Tuesday, assembling an audience that rivalled any movie premiere with global stars including Nicole Kidman, Dua Lipa, Penélope Cruz, A$AP Rocky, Gracie Abrams and Margaret Qualley. The event then shifted focus to the house's new creative director, Matthieu Blazy, who delivered his much-anticipated couture debut with a collection built around a singular, confident theme: unadulterated joy.
A Surreal Garden Fantasy
Inside the iconic Grand Palais, Chanel created a full fantasy environment that served as a deliberate antidote to the grey January weather outside and the heavier global mood beyond its doors. The set featured a dream-like garden with candy-coloured trees and enormous pink-and-red mushrooms, establishing a surreal atmosphere before the first model appeared. Blazy further set the tone with an animated film showing woodland creatures working in Chanel's ateliers in a "Cinderella"-style narrative, signalling that this would be couture without grimness or severity.
Weightless Codes and Ethereal Silhouettes
The collection's central message of lightness became immediately apparent through Blazy's reinterpretation of Chanel's most famous design codes. The classic skirt suit appeared in sheer, barely-there versions cut with such delicacy they seemed tailored from air itself. In a house where tweed often functions as sartorial armour, Blazy presented tweed as a whisper - soft, weightless and ethereal.
Birds served as a guiding motif throughout the collection, symbolising freedom, motion and travel. Feather-like textures and flight-inspired embroideries fluttered across silhouettes that moved with breath-like fluidity rather than rigid structure. The collection featured flashes of plumage in both bright and raven-dark colour palettes, alongside abundant soft, floating chiffon that created the illusion of models gliding rather than walking down the runway.
Meticulous Craftsmanship Meets Effortless Elegance
The most impressive aspect of Blazy's debut was how the extraordinary craftsmanship remained subtly integrated rather than overtly displayed. Upon close inspection, the handwork revealed meticulous detail - the level of artistry couture clients invest in and ateliers dedicate their lives to perfecting. Yet the overall effect maintained an easy, almost casual elegance, as if the garments possessed inherent beauty without demanding theatrical applause.
Blazy cleverly incorporated artistic techniques including trompe l'oeil, notably reimagining a tank-top-and-jeans combination in delicate organza. Textures throughout the collection balanced romanticism with slight strangeness, creating couture that winked playfully at convention rather than adhering rigidly to tradition.
Personalised Intimacy and Inclusive Storytelling
In a brand historically built around complete looks and strong house signatures, Blazy introduced an element of personal choice. Models were invited to select symbols and messages to be stitched into their garments - love notes, personal signs or private marks. This approach shifted Chanel away from uniform dressing toward wearable intimacy, positioning couture as a secret to be carried rather than merely a public statement.
The show's casting continued Blazy's signature approach of using models to tell broader stories. The runway carried an open, joyful energy through a diverse mix of ages, backgrounds and presences that made the clothing feel authentically lived-in. Model Bhavitha Mandava, fresh from her viral moment at Chanel's recent Métiers d'Art show, returned to close the presentation as a couture bride - shimmering, feathered and smiling as if perfectly aware she was concluding the scene on exactly the right emotional note.
A Musical Journey Through Nostalgia and Wonder
The soundtrack dynamically shifted moods throughout the presentation, moving from Disney-esque sweetness to millennial nostalgia with selections including Moby's "Porcelain" and a creative mashup blending Oasis' "Wonderwall" with The Verve's "Bitter Sweet Symphony." By the finale, the entire room was engaged and responsive, participating in the emotional journey.
While elaborate sets have become commonplace in fashion presentations, Blazy's debut avoided overpowering Chanel's heritage with noise or aggressively forcing a new era. Instead, he successfully reinvigorated the house with vitality, presenting wonder-couture that balanced fantasy with wearable reality, ultimately making Chanel feel freshly alive and relevant for contemporary luxury consumers.
