By Cedie Lazaro
The defining moment of the Fall/Winter 2026 Haute Couture season did not happen at eye level. Instead, it took place inches off the floor. For his sophomore couture collection at Chanel, Creative Director Matthieu Blazy transformed the historic Grand Palais into a fairytale wonderland inspired by a book of fables from Gabrielle Chanel’s personal library. While the fluid silk mousseline gowns and reimagined tweed coordinates captured the essence of the theme, it was the runway’s footwear that completely stole the show.
Blazy took Chanel’s iconic, traditional footwear and injected it with pure, unadulterated surrealism. The result is an internet-breaking lineup that balances historic craftsmanship with jaw-dropping whimsy.
Hand-Carved Storybook Heels
The standout feature driving the internet wild is the heels, which function as miniature, hand-carved works of art. Rather than relying on traditional stilettos, Blazy constructed literal pillars of fantasy beneath the models’ feet:
- The Golden Egg: Multiple pumps are balanced over tiny, gleaming golden eggs, an intentional nod to The Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs.
- The Beanstalk and Pea Pod: Nodding to Jack and the Beanstalk, some heels feature twisting green vines climbing up the back of the foot, while others are shaped like pea pods split open to reveal rows of pearls.
- Gilded Whimsy: Intricately carved butterflies, blooming flora, and tiny fairy-like figures form the structural support of the evening shoes, making each pair look like a treasure pulled from a royal vault.
Backstage, Blazy noted that he envisioned the shoes as precious miniatures—things so beautifully crafted that you would want to slip them into your pocket.
Subverting the 1957 Icon
In 1957, Coco Chanel introduced the legendary two-tone slingback to elongate the leg and shorten the foot. Blazy honored this heritage but completely shattered the classic beige-and-black color rule.
The Fall 2026 runway debuted fierce, mismatched color-blocking. Models walked in asymmetric pairings, featuring bright green crocodile-embossed uppers abruptly cut off by sharp, contrasting red cap toes. This clashing palette grounds the fairytale theme in a sharp, contemporary edge. It proves that modern Chanel is not afraid to be loud.
The Contrast: Pastel Sock Boots
To balance the heavy, sculptural nature of the storybook pumps, the collection also introduces ultra-sleek pastel sock boots. Molded to the foot like a second skin, these boots offer a streamlined, minimalist alternative. They pair effortlessly with Blazy’s dropped-waist silhouettes, offering a masterclass in how haute couture can remain whimsical without losing its modern, effortless wearability.
Matthieu Blazy’s latest footwear proves that couture is at its best when it embraces high-concept storytelling down to the very last detail. By merging structural surrealism with the house’s historic codes, Chanel has delivered the most talked-about, covetable shoe collection of the year.
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