Under a whole solar system of warmly illuminated planets, we got our first glimpse of Matthieu Blazy’s Chanel. It was obvious that he was thinking big for his debut. After a short but perfect tenure at Bottega Veneta, where the world learned his name and witnessed his sartorial alchemy, Blazy’s ascendancy to the top of Chanel brought a renewed excitement to one of the world’s most popular brands. But with that came a certain challenge: Where do you begin? Even those without an interest in fashion can spot Chanel’s house icons — the tweed jackets, the double-C emblem, the little black dress. Blazy had to not only win over the fashion pack but the rest of the universe, too. Suddenly, the planets made sense.

In a move that felt typically Blazy, his first look for Chanel was distinctly masculine — a two-piece houndstooth set, a slightly loose but pleated trouser with a cropped jacket, buttoned closed, with rolled-up cuffs. For a house that has famously never produced menswear, it was bold. In the show notes, Blazy spoke of bringing “Chanel proportions” to masculine silhouettes. Underneath all these suits, there were shirts by the equally legendary French shirtmaker Charvet. Many of the handbags that accompanied these tailored looks were flayed open, being pulled along instead of carried elegantly. It was a pleasing mix of high-low accessorising.

The tweed suits, because there had to be tweed suits, were remixed and remodelled. Some were given frayed edges, some were rendered to resemble burlap, some looked completely inside-out, and some had exaggerated round shoulders. There was a tweed suit to please every avant-garde proclivity. Where Blazy also excelled was in his bombastic flourishes. The sleeveless top bursting with ribbons, the feathered headpiece, and the final skirt, with a whole universe of colour and florals. 

The brilliance of Blazy’s debut lies in the fact that he’s managed to bring so much of himself to Chanel, whilst also keeping the unique language of the French house totally intact. The decades-long Chanel client will delight in the new range of classic looks, while the first-time client will be drawn by the more Blazy-ish touches, such as the feather fringing, the knotted dresses, and the distinctly Gen Z remodelling of the handbags.