It may feel like Matthieu Blazy has only just stepped through the doors of 31 Rue Cambon, but a few seasons into his tenure, the 42-year-old designer is already shattering expectations. Since taking the helm as Artistic Director of Fashion Activities in 2025, he has seamlessly rewired the Maison’s visual DNA, reinterpreting classic heritage into the indisputable high-fashion obsession of the moment, and now, he strikes again. Chanel is bringing its Fall/Winter 2026 collection back to where the magic started, taking over Gabrielle Chanel’s legendary Paris apartment for its latest campaign, captured through the sharp, cinematic lens of photographer Julien Martinez Leclerc.
For Fall/Winter 2026, the ongoing dialogue with Mademoiselle Chanel adopts a poetic metamorphosis: the evolution of the caterpillar to the butterfly. It’s a study in tension, movement, and sublime transformation that brings an edgy, unexpected energy to the traditional Chanel wardrobe. The campaign for the season stars a striking trio: Awar Odhiang, Bhavitha Mandava, and Anne Vyalitsyna, who also bring the atmosphere to life in a short film directed by Stuart Winecoff.
At the heart of the line stands the suit, reimagined across a spectrum of textures, from broad-shouldered tailoring and signature tweed to tactile ribbed knits, sheer gauze, intricate beadwork, and shimmering textiles. Outerwear plays on utilitarian glamour, with jackets sculpted as elevated bombers, trucker silhouettes, and draped overskirts. Deconstructed blazers meet fluid skirts, trompe l’oeil detailing subverts traditional proportions, and soft pastels, iridescent sheens, and botanical motifs invite the natural world into high fashion.
The accessories maintain this same contrast. Bold resin jewellery, tinted mother-of-pearl accents, and sharp two-tone leather boots anchor the looks, styled alongside the oversized flap bag that first stole the spotlight earlier this year.
