Chanel in the Eyes of Matthieu Blazy

Chanel Entered a New Free-Spirited Era with Matthieu Blazy

By Rachel Yu

Graphic by Yeyoung Jang

If you’re on TikTok or Instagram, I’m sure you have seen Chanel’s iconic cap-toe ballet flats circulating on social media. Their distinct two-toned design, complemented by the House’s interlocking CC logo, and a thin leather bow, makes the shoe instantly recognizable and increasingly in demand.

In March, Chanel creative director Matthieu Blazy released his Spring/Summer 2026 debut in global boutiques, with many people calling dibs on the collection’s brown, pony-style calfskin ballet flats. Posting their shopping experiences on TikTok, creators worldwide waited hours in line for the rather unconventional leopard/spotted deer pattern shoe, revealing the dominant effect Blazy has on this new era of Chanel.

Blazy first gained recognition for his couture debut last year on Oct. 6, which took place in Paris’ Grand Palais—once home to Chanel’s Karl Lagerfeld era. Adorned with a constellation of floating planetary orbs, the show started with models styled in cropped brown and black tweed pantsuits, slouchy trousers, and oversized button-up shirts designed in collaboration with Charvet.

Of course, the collection featured Chanel’s iconic bouclé jackets, but also flowy silk frill skirts, mesh gowns, and floral accents, embracing Blazy’s fluidity and free-spirited aesthetic. As he was formerly the creative director of Bottega Veneta, playing around with bold colors and fabrics is no new feat for Blazy.

Accessories abounded in this collection, with models carrying a reinterpretation of the Chanel 2.55 handbag. The lambskin bags were seen crushed, intentionally designed to reflect the movements of the wearer over time.

Blazy also released a pre-fall Métiers d’art collection, which took place in the depths of a New York subway tunnel. The collection celebrated pop culture and New York while honoring the House’s longstanding history. The show opened with House ambassador Bhavitha Mandava strutting with loose-fitted, mid-rise blue jeans and a khaki-shade quarter zip, paired with a brown suede flap bag and cap-toe heels.

The remainder of the looks followed in the same fun, experimental, yet laid-back style, featuring cheetah and plaid patterns, flowy tweed pieces, and frill and fur fabrics. The collection even honed in on some classic New York elements, like a “I Heart NY” shirt, ladybug and dog accents, as well as a to-go coffee cup-shaped and red apple-shaped purses.

Just last month, Blazy released his sophomore Fall/Winter 2026 ready-to-wear collection inspired by the concept of metamorphosis. Drawing from Gabrielle Chanel’s 1950s mantra, “Fashion is both caterpillar and butterfly. Be a caterpillar by day and a butterfly by night,” Blazy aimed to interpret the Chanel woman in transition. The show featured flowy, oversized tweed and tinsel-fabric jackets and pantsuits, square-toe, two-tone cap-toe mushroom pumps, as well as glimmery metallic and checkered chainmail fabrics. Models were also seen carrying reworked editions of the Chanel flap bag, which were designed with sheer silk and hand-embroidered notes.

Now, in the eyes of Matthieu Blazy, Chanel has taken on a lighter, more delicate, yet flowy look, with most of Blazy’s garments designed to flow naturally on the wearer’s body. While paying homage to the House’s prolonged history, Blazy simultaneously adds his own artistic, experimental touch, by integrating bold colors, fabrics and patterns.

Given his already impactful work as the fourth creative director in the history of Chanel, there is surely much to anticipate in future collections.