Chanel opened its latest haute couture show with a model wearing a sheer mousseline skirt suit, holding a century-old fairytale book once owned by Coco Chanel.
The collection used elaborate garment details to narrate stories, accompanied by the Lord of the Rings soundtrack amid giant stage props.
The designs featured intricate narrative details, such as a dress with buttons shifting from an ugly duckling to a swan.
A Goldilocks minaudière handbag took the shape of a sleeping golden bear, while a jacket lining featured a hand-painted scene from Puss in Boots.
Chanel Creative Director Matthieu Blazy held the historic book backstage, noting that his favorite fairytale was the rags-to-riches life story of Coco Chanel herself.
"She climbed the ladder to find her golden goose, by making clothes for real women. Her clothes were never parodies.
They were rooted in life," Blazy said.
The runway cast featured women of various ages, including a model celebrating her 50th birthday in a red sequined dress.
Blazy expressed appreciation for the backstage atmosphere and the dynamic interactions between the older and younger models during the event.
Departing from traditional haute couture structures, the classic wedding gown was moved from its usual finale position.
Instead, the runway closed with a sinewy little black dress, which Blazy described as a revenge dress that channeled the spirit of Gabrielle Coco Chanel.
"It seemed like the right way to end the story, because Gabrielle [Coco] never got married," Blazy said.
The creative director emphasized that fashion centers on everyday adventures rather than just red-carpet appearances.
To illustrate this concept, the collection featured jacket linings hand-embroidered by the house of Lesage on yellow silk to resemble Post-it notes with daily shopping lists.
Beyond the theatrical elements, the collection highlighted broader fashion shifts. Sheer layers emerged as a dominant style, featuring visible knickers and bra tops worn beneath semi-transparent fabrics.
The silhouette shifted toward fluid skirts paired with billowing, untucked blouses.
The collection also introduced pastel shades of lilac and mint, offering a contrast to the minimal neutrals of previous seasons.
These design directions mirrored elements observed on the Dior haute couture runway.
Chanel President of Fashion Bruno Pavlovsky praised the presentation, highlighting the deep narrative elements behind the collection.
The brand has seen strong commercial demand following Blazy's appointment, particularly for the new, slouchier 25 bag.
Strategic Business Focus
Pavlovsky stated that the current focus for the fashion house involves recruiting and training the expanding workforce within the Chanel ateliers.
Despite acquiring the Parisian shirtmakers Charvet, the executive confirmed that Chanel has no plans to enter the menswear market.
"We are not dressing men. We are not in hospitality; we are not opening Chanel restaurants.
We are not trying to compete with Vuitton. We are not listed; we don’t have the pressure to do everything.
Everything we do is about fashion for women," Pavlovsky said.
Chanel debuted a storytelling-focused haute couture collection while solidifying its business focus strictly on high-end womenswear.
