For his second Haute Couture collection at Chanel, Matthieu Blazy turned to one of the maison’s greatest stories: Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel’s own life. After discovering an antique book of fairy tales in Chanel’s personal library at Rue Cambon, the designer imagined her remarkable journey from orphan to legendary couturière as a modern fable. Aptly titled “Gaby and the Beanstalk,” the Fall/Winter 2026 collection transformed the Grand Palais into an enchanted garden filled with towering beanstalks, oversized flowers, and fantastical scenery, setting the stage for a collection where couture became storytelling.
Chanel Fall/Winter 2026 Haute Couture collection
Chanel’s House Codes Meet Fantasy
Rather than creating literal costumes, Blazy used fairy tales to reinterpret Chanel’s most recognizable signatures. The opening look—a sheer silk mousseline suit embroidered to resemble an oversized tweed weave—immediately established this dialogue between heritage and imagination. Throughout the collection, camellias intertwined with thorny vines, botanical embroidery climbed dresses, and raffia details referenced scarecrows from The Wizard of Oz. Elsewhere, hand-painted jacket linings depicted Puss in Boots, while minaudières shaped like sleeping bears, chickens, and colorful beans nodded to stories such as Goldilocks and the Three Bears and Jack and the Beanstalk. Every reference felt subtle enough to preserve the wearability of the clothes while rewarding closer inspection.
Chanel Fall/Winter 2026 Haute Couture collection
Couture Lives in the Details
Blazy described Chanel couture as “not about the big wow, but about the details,” and that philosophy was evident throughout the collection. Hidden embroidered Post-it notes featuring shopping lists and to-do reminders appeared inside jackets, while frayed edges referenced Gabrielle Chanel’s famously aggressive fitting process. Gold chains layered across suits looked intentionally tangled, as though collected by a magpie, while tiny keepsakes were concealed inside pockets and linings. Rather than designing garments that reveal everything at first glance, Blazy created couture filled with intimate discoveries for the wearer.
Chanel Fall/Winter 2026 Haute Couture collection
The Shoes Tell the Story of Jack and the Beanstalk
Among the collection’s most enchanting accessories were the shoes, whose sculptural heels formed a miniature retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk. Rather than repeating a single motif, each heel represented a different chapter of the fairy tale—from tiny climbing beans and twisting vines to butterflies, pea pods, and shimmering golden eggs referencing the giant’s magical treasures. The footwear transformed every step into another page of the story, proving that Blazy views accessories not as finishing touches but as integral chapters within his larger narrative.
Chanel Fall/Winter 2026 Haute Couture collection
Fashion for Everyday Adventures
Despite its fantastical setting, the collection remained grounded in Blazy’s belief that couture should ultimately serve real life. Alongside elaborate embroidered gowns were fluid silk dresses, relaxed tailoring, elongated black coats, and reimagined little black dresses that could realistically live beyond the runway. As the designer explained backstage, fashion should celebrate “the adventure of the everyday” rather than exist solely for red carpet moments. That philosophy closely echoes Gabrielle Chanel’s own mission of designing elegant clothes women could actually wear.
Chanel Fall/Winter 2026 Haute Couture collection
Ending With the Little Black Dress
Perhaps the collection’s boldest decision came at the finale. Although Chanel traditionally closes its couture shows with a bridal look, Blazy sent the bride down the runway several looks before the end. The final exit instead belonged to the little black dress—arguably Gabrielle Chanel’s most influential creation. The decision carried symbolic weight: Coco Chanel never married, so her fairy tale was never about finding a prince. It was about building an empire through creativity, independence, and ambition.
Chanel Fall/Winter 2026 Haute Couture collection
A New Chapter for Chanel Couture
With Chanel Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2026, Matthieu Blazy proves that honoring heritage doesn’t require recreating the past. By weaving together fairy tales, Gabrielle Chanel’s extraordinary life, and the meticulous craftsmanship of haute couture, he delivers a collection that feels whimsical without becoming costume-like, deeply luxurious without relying on spectacle, and unmistakably Chanel while introducing an entirely new chapter for the house.
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