Returns from the Coast

In late April, the weather on the Basque Coast was unpredictable, with gray-blue skies and rolling waves creating a breathtaking panorama. The air was filled with the scent of sea salt, humidity, and early summer. It was in this slightly dreamy and free-spirited atmosphere that Matthieu Blazy completed his first truly personal resort collection since joining CHANEL.

Recreating Coco Chanel's Coastal Years

For Gabrielle Chanel, Biarritz was never just a vacation spot. In 1915, with the support of Boy Capel, she opened her first haute couture boutique there, located in Villa de Larralde, next to the beach and casino. This was more than just a boutique; it combined a workshop and a private residence, becoming the initial prototype for 31 Rue Cambon in Paris. For Gabrielle Chanel at the time, Biarritz was far removed from the established class and salon frameworks of Paris. The coastline was a melting pot of artists, sailors, laborers, and aristocrats, and the intersection of different classes and lifestyles gradually shaped her later understanding of women's freedom and the liberation of dress.

Therefore, Matthieu Blazy specially chose to hold the show at the Casino municipal de Biarritz, which was next to the boutique in its heyday. The building is located next to the coast and was listed as a French historical monument in 1992. The interior of the show venue recreated the atmosphere of Villa de Larralde, making the entire presentation feel like a retrospective across a century.

From the little black dress to the legend of the mermaid

The collection opens with Matthieu Blazy reinterpreting the classic little black dress. The deep V-neck and low waist, accentuated by white geometric stitching, retain the minimalist spirit of Gabrielle Chanel while exuding a languid feel reminiscent of the 1920s. Notably, this year marks the centenary of the little black dress's creation.

The opening and closing models were actually the same person. From her first "landing" in a black dress, she went through workwear, casual wear, swimwear, and evening gowns, finally concluding in a sequined gown that shimmered like fish scales, like a mermaid returning to the sea. This almost cinematic pacing is a very distinctive style of Matthieu Blazy: he doesn't rush the audience to understand immediately, but allows the details to slowly emerge in retrospect.

The clothing itself revolves around the theme of "freedom." Traditional sailor suits, French workwear, loose silhouettes, draped tweed suits, and swimwear and swim caps reminiscent of the 1920s all combine to create a clothing language that truly allows for movement, movement, and life. In particular, the classic stripes of the Basque region are an important element of the collection. Unlike the horizontal stripes of common Marinière shirts, the local stripes are mostly multi-colored vertical stripes, originally closely related to the local people's working culture, and now they have been brought back into the context of CHANEL's haute couture.

If Matthieu Blazy's first Spring/Summer collection was about rediscovering the possibilities of tweed, then this Cruise collection is more like a deconstruction of the double-C logo. The classic symbol is no longer just a brand identifier, but has become part of the garment's structure and pattern itself.

True Coastal Holiday Lifestyle Essentials

Compared to the clothing, the shoes and accessories were actually the most talked-about items this season. In particular, the heel protectors, known as "naked shoes," became the hottest item after the show. Matthieu Blazy reduced the footwear to just the heel structure, using leather and gold-plated details to secure the foot, creating a light feeling as if you were walking barefoot on the beach.

Matthieu Blazy didn't simply present Cruise as a romantic seaside destination; he genuinely considered: what would a woman need if she lived by the sea? Therefore, this season features a large number of truly functional travel items, ranging from oversized travel bags and waterproof flap pouches to giant striped woven beach bags and storage designs that can even fit a tennis racket.

Of course, Matthieu Blazy's playful spirit remained. For example, the raffia dresses with exaggerated proportions, the sequined gowns, the fringed evening gowns, and the various mermaid-like headdresses all gave the show an atmosphere that straddled reality and fantasy.

The post "Returns from the Coast" first appeared on Pure Luxury Magazine .

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