Chanel Turned the Runway Into a Whimsical Fairytale for Haute Couture FW26
Complete with magic beans, creeping vines and swan-shaped buttons.
Matthieu Blazy turned the runway into a literal storybook for his sophomore Chanel Haute Couture collection. Inspired by a volume he found in Gabrielle Chanel’s personal library, the designer shared, “I started to wonder, was Gabrielle Chanel’s life a fairy tale? I found a small book in her library, Les Fées, Contes des Contes, and asked myself if, together with the Haute Couture ateliers, we could make garments that tell stories like a book.” The collection subsequently managed to bridge the gap between childhood fiction and everyday function.
The lineup draws whimsical design cues from classic tales like Jack and the Beanstalk and Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The opening look features a classic Chanel suit reimagined in guipure lace meant to mimic magic beans, paired with light silk mousseline. Playful details are scattered throughout the collection, with vines creeping up shoe heels, a minaudière handbag shaped like a sleeping bear and buttons that physically transform from ducklings into swans.
Blazy also leans into a “make-do-and-mend” ethos, stuffing pockets and chains with everyday charms, memo notes and thieving magpie talismans. Walking through a salon overgrown with faux poisoned vines, models wore clothes that were slashed and bisected to free up the body’s natural movement. This is a beautifully imperfect collection designed for real life, proving that couture isn’t just a fairy tale; it’s an adventure to live in.
Check out some of the looks above and head to the brand’s website for more.
For more from Couture week, take a look at Schiaparelli’s latest showcase.
