The closing day of Paris Fashion Week on October 6, 2025, was always destined to be a spectacle, but few could have predicted just how electrifying the atmosphere would become inside the Grand Palais. Chanel, the legendary French fashion house, unveiled the first collection from its new artistic director, Matthieu Blazy, transforming the iconic venue into a vibrant, cosmic dreamscape. Beneath a suspended solar system—an artful nod to the galaxy of stars both on and off the runway—2,300 guests gathered in anticipation of a show that would mark a new chapter in Chanel’s storied legacy.
From the outset, the event radiated excitement. The guest list read like a roll call of international culture: Sofia Coppola, Tilda Swinton, Penelope Cruz, Nicole Kidman (accompanied by her daughters), Pedro Pascal, Margot Robbie, Carrie Coon, Marion Cotillard, and Indian brand ambassador Ananya Panday, among many others. As reported by Hindustan Times, Ananya Panday’s meeting with Pedro Pascal quickly became a viral sensation, with fans humorously fixating on Pascal’s statement bag, drawing comparisons to Joey’s purse from the beloved sitcom Friends. Social media buzzed with comments like, “Pedro Pascal with Joey’s purse,” and “The world is finally ready for Rachel's fashion sense.”
But the true star of the evening was Matthieu Blazy’s vision for Chanel. The collection, a resolutely modern take on Gabrielle Chanel’s signature styles, was met with a standing ovation—a rare feat in the discerning world of Parisian haute couture. According to Variety, Penelope Cruz was visibly moved by the response, stating, “He took such a big risk and it completely works. To see everyone standing and giving him that ovation, it’s really hard to get that reaction in Paris in a Fashion Week, you don’t see that very often and he really deserves it.” Cruz, who is about to begin filming Florian Zeller’s “Bunker” alongside her husband Javier Bardem, praised Blazy for both respecting the essence of the brand and creating “a new thing.”
Sofia Coppola, a longtime friend of the house and author of a coffee table book celebrating Chanel’s 110 years of haute couture, echoed this sentiment. “I was really curious and had a lot of anticipation coming here and I just thought it was so beautiful and different than before, but feels like Chanel and a new era,” she told The Hollywood Reporter. Her favorite looks included “some beautiful silk T-shirt dresses” and “a black suit with little chameleons.”
Tilda Swinton, who has been a Chanel ambassador for over a decade, was equally effusive. “The skirts, I’m wearing one of them right now. The skirts are sublime. They’re so comfortable and so flexible and on the hip, they’re so slouchy. You just feel completely 21st century. But at the same time, incredibly 1920s. They’re very Gabrielle Chanel herself,” Swinton said, according to Variety. She described the collection as “an absolute breath of fresh air,” applauding Blazy and his team for pulling off a “new evolution of this house.”
The show itself was a masterclass in storytelling. Models glided down the runway to iconic love songs like Connie Francis’ “I Was Such a Fool (to Fall in Love With You)” and Mc Solaar’s “Caroline,” reinforcing Blazy’s belief that “Chanel is about love. The birth of modernity in fashion comes from a love story.” The designer, who joined Chanel from Bottega Veneta, set the tone for the evening in his note of intent, emphasizing the emotional core of the collection. Pedro Pascal, seated front row in a custom Chanel sweater adorned with three double C buttons, told The Hollywood Reporter, “There was so much story to it. I feel like he’s so uncompromising and that it comes from his heart in a way that I don’t see from a lot of places… He’s telling a story, and there’s emotion behind it.”
The collection itself was a playful yet reverent deconstruction of Chanel’s DNA. Carrie Coon, star of “The Gilded Age” and “White Lotus,” observed, “He took the DNA of Chanel, and he deconstructed it, and he put it back together, and he made astonishing clothes that everyone will want to wear. He turned it inside out, and he made it really sexy, and he made it really edgy. And I just feel like people will be clamoring to wear this collection.” Marion Cotillard, recently seen in “The Morning Show” season 4, was drawn to the collection’s fluidity and the interplay of masculine and feminine codes, noting the “completely transparent” tweeds and the seamless mix of styles.
For some, the night was also a personal milestone. Ayo Edebiri, attending her first show as an official Chanel ambassador, told The Hollywood Reporter, “Can’t think of a better one.” She left the event “energized and really joyful… My eyes are so happy right now.” Gracie Abrams, recently named one of Time’s Most Influential Rising Stars, described the experience as “such a bold introduction to this new era, while also so clearly Chanel and I’m just desperate to get on the internet and look back at all the pictures of it.” Her favorite piece? A white dress she jokingly said she’d want for her wedding.
Beyond the runway, the event was a confluence of global pop culture. K-pop sensation Jennie arrived fashionably late at 8:13 p.m., making a grand entrance to embrace fellow ambassador Lily-Rose Depp. Meanwhile, Pedro Pascal, fresh off wrapping “The Mandalorian” (set for release in May 2026) and practicing cello in Paris for his upcoming role in Tony Gilroy’s “Henrich,” watched his sister Lux walk in the show’s lineup. Ananya Panday, who also attended the BoF 500 Gala at the Shangri-La Hotel earlier in the week, continues to make waves as Chanel’s Indian ambassador and is set for a busy year in film with upcoming releases like “Tu Meri Main Tera, Main Tera Tu Meri” and “Chand Mera Dil.”
Of course, fashion’s power to spark conversation was on full display. Social media couldn’t get enough of Pedro Pascal’s bag, with comments ranging from playful nostalgia—“That’s Joey’s bag”—to earnest admiration for Ananya Panday’s rising stardom. As Hindustan Times noted, “Very happy for Ananya… you go girl… After all the trolls and questioning her talent she proved her haters wrong and now reaching heights.”
In every way, Chanel’s Spring/Summer 2026 show was more than a debut; it was a declaration. Blazy’s collection not only honored Gabrielle Chanel’s legacy but also pushed the house boldly into the future, blending comfort, elegance, and a dash of daring. It’s not often that a fashion show feels like a cultural event, but on this night in Paris, under a galaxy of stars and to the soundtrack of love, Chanel—and Blazy—reminded the world why fashion still matters.
