Overview
- Matthieu Blazy presented his second haute couture collection on Tuesday as a storybook spectacle at the Grand Palais, using giant beanstalks and oversized flowers to stage the runway.
- The collection was directly inspired by a century-old book of fairy tales Blazy found in Gabrielle Chanel’s library and referenced stories such as Jack and the Beanstalk, Goldilocks, Puss in Boots and The Ugly Duckling.
- Couture craft took center stage with vine embroidery, appliquéd swans, feather ruffs, trompe-l’œil tweed effects, tiny carved minaudières and sculpted heels that hide many hand-finished details for clients.
- Blazy broke Chanel ritual by placing the wedding gown before the finale and closing with a black ‘revenge’ little black dress, a choice he tied to Coco Chanel’s unmarried life and to a broader rethinking of house codes.
- Executives and buyers praised the show for restoring whimsy to couture, celebrities filled the front row, and the collection builds on early commercial success that helped lift Chanel’s sales last year, suggesting practical demand for Blazy’s direction.