Chanel Fall 2025: A Collection in Waiting

Chanel played it safe this season, delivering a collection steeped in tradition, but missing the spark of transformation.

Fez– Chanel closed out Paris Fashion Week with a collection that felt like a waiting room: elegant, refined, yet unmistakably in limbo.

With Matthieu Blazy set to take the creative reins next month, the house played it safe, delivering a collection that leaned on heritage rather than pushing boundaries.

The runway’s central motif was evident from the moment invitations arrived, adorned with a neatly boxed satin bow.

That same bow dominated the show’s set as a monumental black ribbon spiraling toward the Grand Palais ceiling. It was a fitting metaphor for a brand caught in transition, looping back on itself while waiting for a new chapter to unfold.

Chanel’s in-house design team worked within the brand’s signature codes, presenting a lineup that balanced military precision with romantic flourishes.

Satin ribbons trimmed an anthracite tweed jacket, while sheer black organza tunics billowed with balloon sleeves tied by delicate bows.

A trio of dresses featured a swirling ribbon print that echoed the house’s interlocking Cs, while playful pearl-trimmed bow cutouts adorned sweaters and skirts.

While polished, the collection felt predictable. The real intrigue lay in its experiments with scale and optical illusion.

Layers of illusionary tulle created ghostly outlines over classic tweed suits — for instance a pink short-sleeved jacket and shorts layered beneath a sheer, ankle-length skirt.

A cherry-red tweed ensemble, comprising a jacket, wrap skirt, and flared pants, extended its reach into accessories, with matching hats, gloves, handbags, and boots forming a head-to-toe monochromatic statement.

Some elements had a distinctly Karl Lagerfeld touch, his signature ability to weave pop culture into Chanel’s DNA.

Accessories played with proportions: a minaudière shrunk to the size of an egg, while pearl necklaces were exaggerated into oversized crossbody bags. Boots with giant pearl heels were an instant collector’s item, a nod to Chanel’s legacy of playful luxury.

Among the guests were Indian twin influencers Snehal and Jyoti Babani, known for their perfectly coordinated outfits. Their aesthetic found an uncanny mirror in a duo of reverse monochrome twinsets, proof that Chanel still knows its audience.

But as the show progressed, the collection lost momentum. Sack-like Pierrot smocks and oversized sweater dresses felt at odds with the season’s obsession with sensuality, from Stella McCartney’s pole dancers to Duran Lantink’s prosthetic-breasted designs.

For Chanel’s elite clientele, comfort-driven luxury may be enough. But in today’s hyper-competitive fashion landscape, heritage alone doesn’t sustain a brand.

The industry thrives on reinvention, and recent Chanel collections have lacked the unexpected creative clashes that bring a house to life.

Blazy’s arrival signals a chance to shake things up. If his past work at Bottega Veneta is any indication, where he paired $8,400 leather bags with stuffed animal bean bags and Beverly Hills “90210” nostalgia, Chanel’s future may be anything but predictable. And that’s exactly what it needs.