Chanel goes all-in on florals for its latest couture show
By Prudence Wade, Press Association
Florals for spring might not be groundbreaking, but what about florals for autumn?
That’s exactly what Chanel channelled for its autumn/winter 2026-27 haute couture show in Paris.
It marked creative director Matthieu Blazy’s second couture collection with the storied French label, and he put the natural world front and centre – a stark contrast to Schiaparelli’s futuristic fashion show the day before.
Back in January, the setting of Blazy’s first couture outing was a woodland fantasy, complete with giant pink toadstools and matching trees. He continued the theme for his second collection, leaning more into florals and a fairytale vibe.
A promotional clip posted on Instagram showed a cartoon girl in a classic French townhouse, surrounded by vines, leaves and flowers growing around her – eventually forming Chanel’s iconic interlocking ‘C’ logo in front of the Eiffel Tower.
Chanel brought this vision to life for the show, with models walking amongst large scale twisting vines studded with giant flowers and even chairs, with whimsical clothes to match. The front row was typically star-studded, with the likes of actors Tilda Swinton and Elizabeth Debicki watching the reveal of the new collection.
While there was plenty of the heritage brand’s DNA on the runway – such as tweed two-pieces with skirts and boxy jackets, and two-tone slingback heels – Blazy continues to inject his own aesthetic into the clothes.
The floral setting was reflected in the clothes, but often in unexpected ways. A model wore a silvery beaded jacket with purple, yellow and red embroidered flowers, and blue flower-shaped buttons that continued around the neckline. This colour scheme was continued into an unusual spiky feathered headpiece that gave the traditional jacket a modern edge.
These pointy feathered details continued throughout the collection, and have become a signature of Blazy’s time at Chanel. One model had two multi-coloured feathered pieces attached to the back of her red dress at the top and bottom, while another wore a gold version as a hat.
Elsewhere, Blazy made a case for slouchy midi dresses often with a dropped waist, giving a modern spin to flapper-inspired designs.
Colour choices were somewhat muted – there were a lot of pastels in floaty fabrics – but still unexpected, such as a lilac shift dress detailed with 3D red, white and black florals.
It wasn’t all about feminine designs on the Chanel catwalk, with some models showcasing more of an edge. Blazy continues to experiment with masculine tailoring – for example, one model wearing a dark grey coat with black fern-like detailing and structured shoulders, paired with matching slouchy trousers.
There were some red carpet-worthy dresses in there, too – like a bedazzled midi dress with an asymmetric neckline, covered in gold and silver beading and buttons.
While this haute couture week looks ahead to the upcoming autumn/winter season, celebrities don’t necessarily have to wait to get their hands on the clothes.
Hours after Schiaparelli’s couture show on Monday, actor Zendaya wore one of the brand’s sculpted bodice gowns to attend The Odyssey premiere in London. So who knows, maybe we’ll see stars wearing Blazy’s latest creations sooner than you might think.
While Dior has been in headlines this week for designing singer Taylor Swift’s wedding dress, Chanel has already made waves for creating fellow popstar Dua Lipa’s bridal gown for her June wedding.
Lipa’s gown was a halterneck style with intricate beading and a feather-studded train, marking the first haute couture wedding dress designed by Blazy for a friend of the house.
As always, Chanel ended its haute couture show with a bridal look – but it was a much more traditional lace creation compared to Lipa’s outfit. The bride wore a full layered lace skirt that grazed her ankles, paired with a sheer jacket that revealed a bra underneath, topped off with a veil.
