Blazy’s couture debut is a flight of imagination

After reaching for the stars in his first show for French fashion house Chanel, new chief designer Matthieu Blazy took a feather-light flight on Tuesday. His first haute couture collection was inspired by birds and nature.

The vast exhibition space of the Grand Palais in central Paris was transformed into an enchanted and psychedelic forest, populated by giant mushrooms and pink weeping willows.

Blazy, 41, said he wanted to “fathom and explore the heart of Chanel” with his haute couture creations. This followed his highly acclaimed debut ready-to-wear women’s collection, which he presented at the same venue in October.

That show took place against the backdrop of giant, glowing planets that illustrated his ambitions. Tuesday’s looks, however, were rooted in earthly beauty, particularly the elegance of birdlife.

Starred by stars like Nicole Kidman and Dua Lipa, the first outfits made ample use of sheer silk muslin alongside Chanel tweeds. More imaginative, bird-inspired styles followed later.

“The idea of ​​the feather runs throughout the collection, although rarely in its natural form. All types of birds appear as if by magic, from the most famous to the rarest,” Blazy wrote in his show notes.

The Franco-Belgian couturier was referring to the flamboyant plumage of a roseate spoonbill or a crested cockatoo. But he also borrowed from the humble crow, the gray dove and the magpie.

Blazy told the website WWD that even when it came to haute couture dresses, he tried to reduce the excess. These are typically worn at galas or on the red carpet. He wanted to focus on the “essence of the house, which is clothes that women actually wear.”

Creative realignment

Blazy’s debut show was one of the most anticipated moments of Haute Couture Week. The same applied to the first presentation of the new Dior designer Jonathan Anderson on Monday. Anderson, a 41-year-old Northern Irish designer, also honored nature. However, he did this through very floral silhouettes that were both sculptural and airy.

The two contemporaries were promoted as part of a major shake-up of creative director positions in the European luxury clothing sector over the past twelve months. Both are considered new generation talents. They face the daunting task of modernizing some of fashion’s most venerable and profitable brands.

Blazy was headhunted by Italian leather goods brand Bottega Veneta in December 2024. He was given the task of ending the era of Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel, who ruled there for more than three decades.

“The new man in arguably the biggest job in the fashion industry has proven once again that he is undeniably the right man,” wrote the fashion editor of London’s The Times in a review of Blazy’s show on Tuesday.

Anderson received more mixed reviews. Some critics see the risk-taking son of a former rugby player as still searching for a clear identity. He has now completed a complete set of womenswear, menswear and haute couture.

debuts

Other highlights in Paris this week include Armani. The Italian fashion house will later unveil its first haute couture collection without the supervision of its founder Giorgio, who died in early September at the age of 91.

French designers Stephane Rolland and Julien Fournie and eco-conscious Dutch couturier Ronald van der Kemp will also present their collections later in the day.

On Thursday there will be a historic debut for Phan Huy. At just 27 years old, he will be the youngest designer ever invited to Paris Haute Couture Week. He is also the first Vietnamese couturier in the program.

Only 13 fashion houses have the official accreditation of ‘Haute Couture’, a legally protected term in France. However, the French fashion federation FHCM invites guest designers to take part in the program.

The twice-yearly event is a draw for celebrities. Spotted at the Dior show on Monday were actress Jennifer Lawrence and singer Rihanna, as well as Amazon boss Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sanchez.