The Japan Times - Blazy's Chanel fairy tale continues with whimsical couture show

The 42-year-old has won rave reviews from fashion experts since being appointed in December 2024 to start a fresh chapter in the life of the venerable Parisian fashion house.

"Much like the story of (Chanel founder) Gabrielle Chanel, Matthieu Blazy’s tenure at the maison writes itself like a fairy tale," Elle magazine's fashion editor wrote on Tuesday.

His first collections have been snapped up by buyers worldwide, helping the group report a slight rise in sales last year when many of its peers were struggling with lower demand.

For the Autumn/Winter Haute Couture collection, unveiled at the Grand Palais exhibition space in central Paris, Blazy sent out models against a backdrop of colourful flowers, climbing plants and magic mirrors.

The collection featured pieces with direct references to fairy tales: coats made to look as though they were crafted from straw, evoking scarecrows, and almost transparent dresses embroidered with climbing vines.

Other details, such as a handbag shaped like a sleeping teddy bear or a row of buttons showing a duck transform into a swan, hinted at other stories.

"I asked myself whether Gabrielle Chanel's life was a fairy tale. In her library I found the little book 'Les Fées, contes des contes' (which translates as 'Fairies, Tales of Tales' by Charles Perrault) and, together with the Haute Couture ateliers, we explored the idea of clothes that carry stories, like books," the designer said in a statement.

The model who opened the show was carrying a copy of Perrault's book.

Celebrities at the show included Teyana Taylor, Tilda Swinton, Pedro Pascal and Lupita Nyong'o.

-- Armani --

The show was one of the most eagerly anticipated of this haute Couture week, alongside Jonathan Anderson's presentation for Dior.

Anderson scooped his rivals for one of the biggest prizes in the fashion industry this year -- designing Taylor Swift's wedding dress for her ceremony in New York last weekend.

Another highlight on Tuesday will be the Armani show.

Following the death of founder Giorgio Armani in September 2024, his niece, Silvana Armani, took charge of the brand's Haute Couture collections.

In January, she presented her first collection, described as "classic Armani with a touch of originality", featuring fluid satin suits and luxurious evening gowns in a palette of black, white, nude pink and aqua green.

Wednesday's shows by Balenciaga and Jean Paul Gaultier, both of which recently changed creative directors and were absent from the previous season, are also among the most eagerly awaited moments of this edition.

In total, 30 fashion houses will present their Haute Couture collections to Thursday, in a category of fashion reserved for a select group of brands whose creations are intended primarily for gala events and red carpets.

S.Fujimoto--JT