Blazy’s debut collection has sparked a global rush.
A review from the Financial Times described the opening look as something “real women with busy lives might like to actually dress” in, while Monocle said it was “a masterclass in tactile bouclé, finer-than-fine tweeds, artfully frayed hems, and supple leather”. Flip through the February issue of Vogue and you’ll find a full Chanel look spread across it’s pages. After years of mixed reviews for Blazy’s predecessor, Virginie Viard, the house can take comfort in knowing his debut has decisively won over the industry.
Further proof came last week when the collection finally landed in stores. During Paris Fashion Week, podcaster Recho Omondi stopped by a Chanel boutique – only to find plenty of her industry peers already there. Clearly, she wasn’t the only one hoping to secure a piece.
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Omondi documented the scene on TikTok, asking fellow shoppers what they were hoping to buy – and what they had managed to get their hands on. Lynette Nylander, Executive Digital Director of Harper’s Bazaar US, summed up the mood: “This is The Hunger Games of accessories buying.”
Knowing that Paris would be the first city to receive the collection, influencer Ro Brahman was determined to leave Fashion Week with either a pair of shoes or a bag. Her first attempt at the Rue Cambon boutique came a day too early, after she mistakenly thought the launch was happening 24 hours sooner than it was.
She returned the following day, only to discover that the bag she wanted wasn’t available at that particular branch – and with shows to dash between, there was no time to try another store. Undeterred, Brahman made a third attempt, hoping it might finally result in some arm candy. Instead, she was told that her chosen colourway had already sold out across the city.
“I was excited to see the collection in real life for the first time, and nervous because I was so scared everything was going to be sold out,” she says.
“Walking around the Rue de Carbon location, you could hear accents from all over the world. Celebrities, stylists, VIP Chanel clients, and people buying their first item from Chanel – everyone was there.”
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Blazy was one of fifteen designers to debut their first collections for their respective fashion houses during the spring/summer 2026 shows. The latest round of creative-director musical chairs has been widely linked to the slowdown in luxury sales. According to Business of Fashion, an estimated 35 per cent of aspirational luxury customers pulled back on or delayed purchases between 2023 and 2025.
Interestingly, Chanel has had little reason to worry. Under Viard, the brand continued to grow financially year after year, with reports suggesting sales doubled during her tenure. If Chanel customers were consistently buying into her vision, the question now is whether a shift in creative direction might risk unsettling a loyal clientele.
“The heritage Chanel client may not engage in this new era in the same way the press does, but I think she’ll appreciate the different ways the collection invites her to wear the brand,” says Brahman.
For Antonio Padilla, the man behind fashion Instagram @immaculate.style, resistance isn’t necessarily reflective of Blazy’s work. “There are going to be some customers that may refuse to buy anything new because they were so devoted to Karl Lagerfeld, which is okay,” he says. “That happens all the time when a new designer is brought into one of these large fashion houses.”
“Chanel has such a strong, historic identity, but Blazy has found a way to expand who the brand speaks to,” continues Brahman. “It feels like more people can imagine themselves as a ‘Chanel girl’ in this new era. The clothes still carry all the classic Chanel codes, but they feel more wearable, playful, and energetic.”
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She notes that it’s already captured the attention of another demographic. “Historically, men haven’t participated in Chanel’s accessories culture the way they do at brands like Bottega,” she says. “But now you’re seeing the Pedro Pascals and Jacob Elordis of the world step into this new idea of the ‘Chanel man.’” Indeed, Harry Styles was spotted just last week with the accessory from look 44 of Matthieu Blazy’s Chanel Metiers d’art show.
The collection launched in the US on March 13 to similarly enthusiastic shoppers. Still, it will be a few weeks before Chanel has the data to gauge just how successful that first collection has been. “The US is still the biggest market for Chanel, so it’s important for the success of the business that Chanel does well here in the states,” says Padilla. “As more younger people are getting into fashion, now that it’s so accessible on social media, I think people will want to be part of this Blazy era in some way.”
In fact, Brahman’s convinced that customers will be leaving the store as content as she was, despite not even buying a piece. “When I look at the clothes, the shoes, the bags, the jewelry, there’s something about them that genuinely makes me smile. The collection just feels happy.”
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