There is more than one way to be a CHANEL woman. And for spring summer 2027, Matthieu Blazy looked to the many lives of Gabrielle Chanel herself to demonstrate that very fact, tracing the designer’s evolution through the clothes she created — and the woman she became along the way. The collection, titled ‘Different Faces of the Same Coin’, journeyed through Chanel’s own wardrobe, from the corsetry and tailoring of her early years to the looser, more liberated way she would eventually dress herself and the women around her. But as always, this wasn’t a straightforward history lesson. Rather, for his fifth collection at the helm of CHANEL, Blazy once again took those familiar references and let them change shape.
Naturally, suiting was central. But thanks to oversized vests, cropped jackets, predictably great shirting, sheer layers, and exposed midriffs, the traditional CHANEL suit felt considerably less traditional. And if the spring summer 2027 season has already hinted that we might be on the cusp of a skirt craze, Blazy seemed to seal the deal: knee-length skirts of every variety reigned supreme this collection – be it tweed styles with raw hems, or delicate sheer fabrications with room to breathe.
Speaking of sheer, Blazy delivered plenty of irresistible transparent moments this season. Embroidered skirt suits revealed flashes of skin underneath, while layers of tulle floated over one another to create billowing, cloud-like skirts. The effect was soft and surreal, particularly when set against more rigid tailoring elsewhere in the collection.
And Chanel’s penchant for borrowed-from-the-boys pieces continued to shine through. Thirties-inspired evening gowns were cut on the bias, some covered in sequins, others knitted and beaded, but often also with a menswear edge – like a satin cummerbund slung low on the hips. It was another way of showing just how many different versions of a CHANEL woman can exist — and how easily one can borrow from another.
The details expressed a similar kind of freedom. Swallows and swifts adorned buttons, jewellery and embroidery, while birds hovered above the runway (which was, as is signature for CHANEL, staged at the Grand Palais). By the end, a birdcage minaudière appeared with its birds already escaped – perhaps a reminder that, for all the codes that make a CHANEL woman recognisable, there’s always room to fly the coop.
