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Blazy’s Chanel Fairy Tale Continues with Whimsical Couture Show

A model presents a creation for Chanel for the Women Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2026-2027 collection as part of the Paris Fashion Week, in Paris, on July 7, 2026. (AFP)
A model presents a creation for Chanel for the Women Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2026-2027 collection as part of the Paris Fashion Week, in Paris, on July 7, 2026. (AFP)
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Blazy’s Chanel Fairy Tale Continues with Whimsical Couture Show

A model presents a creation for Chanel for the Women Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2026-2027 collection as part of the Paris Fashion Week, in Paris, on July 7, 2026. (AFP)
A model presents a creation for Chanel for the Women Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2026-2027 collection as part of the Paris Fashion Week, in Paris, on July 7, 2026. (AFP)

Franco-Belgian designer Matthieu Blazy delved into fairy tales as inspiration for his second Chanel Haute Couture show from "Jack and the Beanstalk" to "Goldilocks".

The 42-year-old has won rave reviews from fashion experts since being appointed in December 2024 to start a fresh chapter in the life of the venerable Parisian fashion house.

"Much like the story of (Chanel founder) Gabrielle Chanel, Matthieu Blazy's tenure at the maison writes itself like a fairy tale," Elle magazine's fashion editor wrote on Tuesday.

His first collections have been snapped up by buyers worldwide, helping the group report a slight rise in sales last year when many of its peers were struggling with lower demand.

For the Autumn/Winter Haute Couture collection, unveiled at the Grand Palais exhibition space in central Paris, Blazy sent out models against a backdrop of colorful flowers, climbing plants and magic mirrors.

The collection featured pieces with direct references to fairy tales: coats made to look as though they were crafted from straw, evoking scarecrows, and almost transparent dresses embroidered with climbing vines.

Other details, such as a handbag shaped like a sleeping teddy bear or a row of buttons showing a duck transform into a swan, hinted at other stories.

"I asked myself whether Gabrielle Chanel's life was a fairy tale. In her library I found the little book 'Les Fées, contes des contes' (which translates as 'Fairies, Tales of Tales' by Charles Perrault) and, together with the Haute Couture ateliers, we explored the idea of clothes that carry stories, like books," the designer said in a statement.

The model who opened the show was carrying a copy of Perrault's book.

Celebrities at the show included Teyana Taylor, Tilda Swinton, Pedro Pascal and Lupita Nyong'o.

-- Armani --

The show was one of the most eagerly anticipated of this haute Couture week, alongside Jonathan Anderson's presentation for Dior.

Anderson scooped his rivals for one of the biggest prizes in the fashion industry this year -- designing Taylor Swift's wedding dress for her ceremony in New York last weekend.

Another highlight on Tuesday will be the Armani show.

Following the death of founder Giorgio Armani in September 2024, his niece, Silvana Armani, took charge of the brand's Haute Couture collections.

In January, she presented her first collection, described as "classic Armani with a touch of originality", featuring fluid satin suits and luxurious evening gowns in a palette of black, white, nude pink and aqua green.

Wednesday's shows by Balenciaga and Jean Paul Gaultier, both of which recently changed creative directors and were absent from the previous season, are also among the most eagerly awaited moments of this edition.

In total, 30 fashion houses will present their Haute Couture collections to Thursday, in a category of fashion reserved for a select group of brands whose creations are intended primarily for gala events and red carpets.

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Fashion

Dior Shows Pleated, Sculptural Haute Couture Dresses in Paris After Taylor Swift Win

A model presents a creation for Christian Dior for the Women Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2026-2027 collection as part of the Paris Fashion Week, in Paris, on July 6, 2026. (AFP)
A model presents a creation for Christian Dior for the Women Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2026-2027 collection as part of the Paris Fashion Week, in Paris, on July 6, 2026. (AFP)
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Dior Shows Pleated, Sculptural Haute Couture Dresses in Paris After Taylor Swift Win

A model presents a creation for Christian Dior for the Women Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2026-2027 collection as part of the Paris Fashion Week, in Paris, on July 6, 2026. (AFP)
A model presents a creation for Christian Dior for the Women Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2026-2027 collection as part of the Paris Fashion Week, in Paris, on July 6, 2026. (AFP)

Riding high ‌after securing the bridal commission of the year — designing pop megastar Taylor Swift’s wedding dress — Dior creative director Jonathan Anderson sent shimmering, sheer gowns and pleated, sculptural handbags down the runway at the brand’s fall/winter haute couture show in Paris on Monday.

Christian Dior, a flagship label within luxury conglomerate LVMH's empire, dressed both Swift and her husband Travis Kelce for their New York wedding on Friday, though photos of the outfits have yet to be released.

Front-row guests at the haute couture ‌show, including actor Josh ‌O'Connor, model Alexa Chung and film ‌director ⁠Baz Luhrmann, cooled themselves ⁠with black bamboo fans that Dior sent with its invitations. The show took place in the gardens of the Rodin Museum as another heatwave hit France, with temperatures topping 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) and set to rise further.

Models emerged onto a black reflective catwalk dotted with large fern plants, and ⁠paraded looks including several constructed entirely of embroidered ‌silk flowers, exploring Anderson's theme ‌of nature and gardens.

Inspired by the work of American sculptor Lynda ‌Benglis, the collection featured four handbags created in collaboration ‌with her. Pleats - a trademark of Benglis' work - appeared in silk chiffon blouses, trousers, and jackets, while giant blue tulle fans were splayed across the front of a dress.

Anderson, previously creative director at ‌Loewe, often works with artists and had previously featured Benglis' sculptures in a show for the ⁠Spanish label ⁠in 2023.

Dior's classic Bar jacket was reimagined in fern green tweed with a frayed fringe, or in grey houndstooth wool draped into a large bow, while another jacket was embroidered all over with white silk threads.

Coats were also fluid and roomy, textured and fringed or featuring dramatic pleats and bows. The grey, white and silver color palette was punctuated with vibrant greens and blues.

Bags inspired by Benglis were giant and sculptural, in metallic plissé, while shoes were decorated with floral embellishments or pleated metal bows.

Jewellery included pieces designed by artisans in Jaipur, India, according to the show notes.

Fashion

Wimbledon Clings onto Fashion Traditions, with a Twist

Japan's Naomi Osaka, known for her flamboyant outfits, arrived on Monday in a kimono-inspired white dress. Henry NICHOLLS / AFP
Japan's Naomi Osaka, known for her flamboyant outfits, arrived on Monday in a kimono-inspired white dress. Henry NICHOLLS / AFP
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Wimbledon Clings onto Fashion Traditions, with a Twist

Japan's Naomi Osaka, known for her flamboyant outfits, arrived on Monday in a kimono-inspired white dress. Henry NICHOLLS / AFP
Japan's Naomi Osaka, known for her flamboyant outfits, arrived on Monday in a kimono-inspired white dress. Henry NICHOLLS / AFP

Amid fast-changing fashion trends, Wimbledon has remained a bastion of "classy" style, with players and attendees donning their finest whites at the London tennis tournament which some say is reminiscent of traditional British high society.

"This is Wimbledon! You've got to dress up," Jari Hedman, 65, said with a smile.

The Finnish tennis coach had bought an Italian-made white linen suit for the occasion, paired with a navy blue jacket and a flourish of color with an orange tie.

He had picked the "classy" attire "in honor of the tournament", Hedman told AFP.

The Wimbledon tennis championships, which runs from June 29 to July 12 this year and is the oldest of the Grand Slam tournaments, will celebrate its 150th anniversary next year.

The royals are regular attendees, especially Princess Kate, who is often praised for her elegant fashion choices.

Ahead of the tournament, the BBC published an article on "etiquette" or unwritten rules for attendees, while other newspapers chimed in with fashion tips.

"With its mix of royalty, A-listers and diehard fans, Wimbledon always has a sense of occasion, so why not make an effort?" advised The Times.

And what should one wear to the stands? "White, white, white. And light colors," said Lucie Ta, a 29-year-old engineer from Prague.

She was wearing a long white dress with black polka dots, a white jacket slung over her arm in case the weather cooled.

Anne Freeman, an American from Houston, donned a pearl-colored floral dress and a sleek Panama hat. "It's a way to be respectful of the tradition," she said.

'Insight' into UK's past

Wimbledon has the strictest dress code in the circuit for players, who are required to wear "suitable tennis attire that is almost entirely white" from "the point at which the player enters the court surround".

"White does not include off-white or cream," the dress code dictates.

The rules are rooted in the sport's aristocratic history, with white the color of choice for hiding sweat stains, which were considered improper.

Players have found ways, both subtle and unconventional, to bring their individual style to court within the dress code.

Japan's Naomi Osaka, known for her flamboyant outfits, arrived on Monday in a kimono-inspired white dress with embroidered motifs of cranes and cherry blossoms, by Japanese designer Hana Yagi.

She paired the outfit with a traditional kanzashi hair ornament featuring white flowers before removing both to reveal a white Nike dress.

Osaka revealed she had the idea for the outfit after watching the Quentin Tarantino film "Kill Bill".

"I think about my cultures, my heritage, which is Japanese and Haitian. Then if I dive deeper into like Japanese culture, I think about the most iconic silhouette, which for me is a kimono," she said.

Serbia's Novak Djokovic wore a white Lacoste jacket with a green trimming, which, according to the brand, was inspired by those worn by "great champions" -- including Rene Lacoste -- in the 1920s.

Going to Wimbledon is "fascinating" as it gives "an insight into what the past of British society looked like," according to Daniel-Yaw Miller, a sports and fashion journalist.

The grass-court tournament "always was seen as a social scene" like the Ascot horse races, explained Elizabeth Wilson, who has penned a book on the history of tennis.

"Therefore people wanted to dress up, to look smart," she added.

In the 1950s, women wore formal hats, while in the 60s, they still wore gloves. "It has got very much more relaxed," said Wilson.

While spectators can dress however they like, Wimbledon still has a "very distinct aesthetic" and very "revered traditions," said Miller.

"I think the athletes and the fans really buy into the fact that it is unique."

Miller, a British man living in New York, enjoys comparing Wimbledon and the US Open: "You go from the most English thing imaginable to the most American thing imaginable in every sense of the word."

The US Open feels like "one big party," with entertainment, where it's sometimes even "hard to focus" on the tennis.

When he attended the Grand Slam across the pond, he wore shorts and a T-shirt. For Wimbledon, however, he opted for a polo shirt and smart trousers.

Fashion

Naomi Osaka Shows off Another Fashion Creation Before Reaching 3rd Round at Wimbledon

Naomi Osaka of Japan arrives in court for her Women's Singles second round match against Anastasia Gasanova of Russia at the Wimbledon Championships in London, Britain, 01 July 2026. (EPA)
Naomi Osaka of Japan arrives in court for her Women's Singles second round match against Anastasia Gasanova of Russia at the Wimbledon Championships in London, Britain, 01 July 2026. (EPA)
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Naomi Osaka Shows off Another Fashion Creation Before Reaching 3rd Round at Wimbledon

Naomi Osaka of Japan arrives in court for her Women's Singles second round match against Anastasia Gasanova of Russia at the Wimbledon Championships in London, Britain, 01 July 2026. (EPA)
Naomi Osaka of Japan arrives in court for her Women's Singles second round match against Anastasia Gasanova of Russia at the Wimbledon Championships in London, Britain, 01 July 2026. (EPA)

Naomi Osaka had a new look to show off before winning her second-round match at Wimbledon.

Osaka, whose fashion reveals have become an event of their own at Grand Slam tournaments, wore a less elaborate outfit for her walk-on than the “Kill Bill” inspired kimono for her opening-round match on Monday.

This all-white outfit featured a wide belt and a long train behind her. It drew plenty of attention as she made the walk from the locker room to No. 2 Court, trailed by photographers and fans wanting to take their own photos. The four-time major winner took off the latest ensemble as she began warming up for her match against qualifier Anastasia Gasanova.

She went on to quickly dispatch Gasanova 6-3, 6-2.

“I'm just trying to mix it up a little bit,” Osaka said about her outfit, adding she had been worried that a loss might have ruined her daughter Shai's third birthday on Thursday.

“I just wanted to be here for longer, I didn't want to make her get on a plane on her birthday,” Osaka said.

Osaka's match was among the early starts on the outside courts as the second round got underway.