Chanel Returns to Its Parisian Roots, JW Anderson Moves to Lifestyle and Homeware

Chanel Returns to Its Parisian Roots, JW Anderson Moves to Lifestyle and Homeware

Chanel's Paris show marked a return to the brand's first boutique, while designer JW Anderson moved toward lifestyle and homeware.

The luxury fashion world is "volatile and fragile right now"

There was no designer to greet the audience after Chanel's Paris show, but Creative Director Matthieu Blazy—who will present his first show in October—was already sketching out the concept. "It's not his collection—but it wouldn't happen without him either," Bruno Pavlovsky, Chanel's president of fashion, said before the show. "You'll see his touch."

CHANEL'S SHOW DETAILS: Classic Elegance and Modern Touches

Inside the Grand Palais, fashion's favorite pop stars, Lorde and Gracie Abrams, sat alongside Anna Wintour, who recently announced she was stepping down from her role as editor-in-chief of American Vogue. But instead of Karl Lagerfeld's theatrical, Andy Warhol-inspired collections, the show space was transformed into a salon based on Chanel's first boutique, complete with butter-colored carpeting and floor-to-ceiling mirrors.

The luxury fashion world is "volatile and fragile right now"

A golden wheat ear sat on each seat—and while not explicitly associated with nature, the off-the-shoulder dresses, flat shoes, and the almost hippie-looking drop-waisted wedding dress that closed the show had a rustic simplicity, by couture standards.

The show began by playing on Chanel's "nature": the small boxy jackets and skirt suits—a look Vogue described in 1964 as "the most beautiful costume in the world"—were updated in beige and black with jeweled buttons. In the Jazz Age, Coco Chanel championed the comfort of drop-waisted silhouettes; here, these styles were replaced by exposed waists and belts.

The most interesting looks were those that played on the two-piece idea: wide-legged mohair pantsuits in bold plum colors, and hipster skirts with matching jackets. With a touch of Blazy's signature trompe d'oeil (eye illusion) style, his influence was evident in a suit where the jacket resembled a cardigan and the tweed looked like sheepskin.

The challenges of the luxury market and their impact on Chanel

Chanel is the second-largest luxury fashion brand in the world after Louis Vuitton. But even the biggest brands are not immune to the global downturn in the luxury goods market that has hit most brands. After a decade of global growth, its 2024 revenues declined by 4.3%.

"Chanel is resisting well," said Pavlovsky, who is also president of the French fashion industry's governing body, the Fédération de Haute Couture et de la Mode. "Ready-to-wear is always growing, and that's the most important thing. But [luxury fashion] is volatile and fragile right now." He attributed this to geopolitics, tariffs, and the global economy, saying, "When the economy is tough, it's bags that are affected."

JW Anderson Shifts Direction: Towards Living and Home

South of the river, the most in-demand designer currently, Jonathan Anderson, had a different response to the slowdown in the luxury goods market: stopping fashion shows altogether. At a presentation for his eponymous label, the Northern Irish designer said he didn't want to be "trapped by the show schedule anymore. I'm at Dior now, and I want to focus on that."

This isn't the end of JW Anderson, but rather a shift toward living and homeware. Starting in September, he will be selling more than 500 curated pieces of collectibles and heirlooms, including chairs, gold jewelry, art, and even food. The idea is for things like coffee-flavored teas and restored gardening tools sourced from Garden and Wood to become desirable items you didn't know you wanted. He said, "We simply can't produce things like this that last this long—everything improves with age."

There's clothing too, though most are newly improved versions of his "best hits," and the label will accurately note where they were made. A classic navy jacket has new pockets—not usually found on jackets—and the 2022 resin dove handbag, once carried by Carrie Bradshaw, has been updated with a softer, more durable beak. Signature rugby shirts feature fun new designs and logos.