Matthieu Blazy Delivers Exquisite Chanel Runway Collection

The new Chanel creative director honed in on the brand's history and founder Coco Chanel's vision of fashion as both "caterpillar and butterfly".

Mar. 10, 2026 at 4:50pm

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In his second runway show for Chanel, creative director Matthieu Blazy delivered an exquisite collection that paid homage to the brand's history and founder Coco Chanel's quote about fashion being both "caterpillar and butterfly." The collection featured a range of looks, from simple sporty suits to drop-waisted gowns and innovative fabric treatments like tweed printed onto chainmail. Blazy also collaborated with Chanel-owned embroidery houses to create unique paillette and rubber-and-silk details. The show was a sign that the house of Chanel is undergoing a renovation, with Blazy building upon the foundation he laid in his debut collection.

Why it matters

Matthieu Blazy's second Chanel collection is highly anticipated, as his debut show last season ignited a frenzy at Chanel boutiques in Paris. This new collection further cements Blazy's vision for the storied fashion house, drawing inspiration from Coco Chanel's own words and ideas about the duality of fashion - the need for both practical, everyday pieces as well as glamorous, transformative ones. Blazy's ability to balance Chanel's heritage with modern, innovative design is crucial as the brand looks to evolve under his creative direction.

The details

The collection opened with a trio of simple, sporty takes on the suit, featuring oversized shirts, knee-length skirts, and backless heeled mules. This was followed by a series of drop-waisted gowns, which Blazy dubbed the "crawlers," paired with a new interpretation of Chanel pearls. As the show progressed, the looks became increasingly playful and light, with waistbands shifted down to a drop waist and Chanel tweed suits shown in multiple layered ways. Standout pieces included a tweed printed onto chainmail, inspired by an Edwardian chainmail bag that Coco Chanel preferred, as well as flapper-inspired dresses made modern with bright pink and orange plumage. Blazy also collaborated with Chanel-owned embroidery houses to create innovative fabric treatments like black and yellow paillettes inlaid into dresses and rubber and silk on cotton gauze.

  • Matthieu Blazy delivered his second runway collection for Chanel on March 10, 2026.

The players

Matthieu Blazy

The current creative director of Chanel, who has been tasked with evolving the storied fashion house's aesthetic while honoring its heritage.

Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel

The founder of the Chanel fashion house, whose quote about fashion being both "caterpillar and butterfly" inspired Blazy's latest collection.

Anok Yai

An ongoing muse for Matthieu Blazy, having first worked with him at Bottega Veneta and now at Chanel.

Duffy

The stylist who masterminded the hair looks for Blazy's Chanel runway show, including French twists, chignons, and soft, flowing grey locks.

Lemarié

The Chanel-owned experts in featherwork who created the bright pink and orange plumage featured on some of the flapper-inspired dresses.

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What they’re saying

“Fashion is both caterpillar and butterfly. Be a caterpillar by day and a butterfly by night.”

— Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel (Le Figaro)

“We need dresses that crawl, dresses that fly, because the butterfly doesn't go to the market, and the caterpillar doesn't go to the ball.”

— Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel (Le Figaro)

The takeaway

Matthieu Blazy's second Chanel collection showcases his ability to balance the brand's iconic heritage with modern, innovative design. By drawing inspiration from Coco Chanel's own words and ideas, Blazy has delivered a collection that speaks to the duality of fashion - the need for both practical, everyday pieces as well as glamorous, transformative ones. This collection is a sign that the house of Chanel is undergoing a thoughtful evolution under Blazy's creative direction.