Fairy Tale or Everyday Adventure? The Chanel "Gaby and the Beanstalk" Collection Rewrites Haute Couture
Artistic Director Matthieu Blazy delivers his sophomore couture collection by fusing fantastical narratives with functional garment construction.
Summary
Matthieu Blazy has officially unveiled his second Haute Couture collection for Chanel titled "Gaby and the Beanstalk"
The collection subverts classic childhood fairy tales into wearable garments designed thoroughly for movement and real-world action
High-end tailoring techniques are paired with unorthodox materials like guipure that echoes the idea of magic beans
Chanel just brought a distinct sense of wonder to the runway with the debut of its Fall/Winter 2026 Haute Couture collection. Steered by Artistic Director Matthieu Blazy, the runway presentation explores a delicate balance between fiction and function. The collection draws direct inspiration from legendary children’s literature, translating classic storybook elements into highly wearable, contemporary silhouettes meant for everyday life.
The collection takes its primary conceptual cues from stories like Jack and the Beanstalk and Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Blazy masterfully grounds these fantastical narratives through the precise cutting and rigorous construction of the Chanel tailleur, flou, and galon ateliers. The show opened with a reimagined Chanel suit meticulously crafted from custom guipure lace designed to echo the imagery of magic beans, layered over translucent silk mousseline. In a literal nod to the source material, the opening model carried a copy of Les Fées, Contes des Contes pulled directly from the library of Gabrielle Chanel’s historic apartment.
Throughout the presentation, narrative elements seamlessly bleed into the physical design of the garments. Vines creep up the heels of custom footwear, tiny minaudières are shaped like sleeping bears, and buttons morph from ducklings into swans across tailored jackets. The inner world of the garments is just as complex, featuring painted-silk linings and hidden interior pockets stuffed with charms, memo notes, and daily bric-a-brac. Blazy also embraces a sense of purposeful imperfection, utilizing slashed fabrics and bisected garments to give the wearer absolute freedom of movement.
