Chanel Fall/Winter 2025/26 Haute Couture
Chanel presented its Fall/Winter 2025/26 haute couture collection on July 8, 2025, within the Grand Palais, transforming its Salon d’Honneur into a private, salon-style space reminiscent of its 31 Rue Cambon salons. The staging was intimate and deliberate—mirrored walls, plush banquettes, soft beige carpeting, muted curtains—designed by Willo Perron to evoke Chanel’s historic couture salons while fitting into a prestigious Paris couture week context.
Chanel’s in-house creation studio and ateliers revisited foundational motifs—nature, heritage, and classic codes—bringing them forward with fresh sensitivity. The collection leaned into a palette of ecru, ivory, brown, moss green, and soft plum, with accents of black. Tweed, the house’s signature, appeared in new forms—woven with feathers, rendered in bouclé mohair, or treated to trompe-l’œil effects that mimic sheepskin or braided texture.
A central emblem was the wheat stalk—a motif dear to Gabrielle Chanel—translated in surprising ways: as jewelled buttons, embroidered appliqués on chiffon ruffles, or even carried by the bridal figure closing the show. This subtle symbolism layered the collection with meaning without overt narrative.
Silhouettes oscillated between structure and ease. Boxy jackets and relaxed trousers drew on menswear proportions yet softened for movement. Coat dresses with military lines, cropped gilets, and long overcoats appeared alongside vestidos shaped by fluidity. Many pieces were engineered to allow grace in motion, not rigid display.
Craftsmanship was quietly on full display. Embroidery, layering, and fabric manipulation required the hands of Chanel’s ateliers. Feather-trimmed tweeds and braided edges demanded precision; subtle weave variations and fine embroidery reinforced the notion that couture is about depth, not spectacle.
More than a presentation, the show was an invitation: to witness Chanel’s return to roots, to see its codes reinterpreted with restraint, and to experience the quiet power of elegance. For those who wish to explore all the looks, the full collection is available on Chanel official site.
Photography courtesy of Chanel.
