Paris Couture Week Showcases Chanel Autumn/Winter Collection and Rising Designer Michael Stewart

Matthieu Blazy presented Chanel's Autumn/Winter 2026 haute‑couture collection at the Grand Palais in Paris. The show transformed the venue into a surreal garden of vines and oversized flowers, drawing on fairy‑tale motifs and the life story of Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel. Designs featured tweed textures, three‑dimensional embroidered vines, transparent lace reminiscent of knitted structures, and botanical details on garments, accessories and trims, blending classic Chanel tailoring with a playful, narrative‑driven aesthetic.

Meanwhile, Michael Stewart made his couture debut with the label Standing Ground at Paris's Irish Embassy. The Irish‑born designer displayed bias‑cut silk skirts, structured jackets with raised bead patterns, draped jersey dresses and column silhouettes woven with perforated grids. Stewart, a LVMH Prize winner who operates from a small London atelier, emphasizes a custom‑order model and draws inspiration from ancient design and natural phenomena. His collection, described as both prehistoric and sci‑fi, underscored his commitment to handcrafted detail and a minimalist, word‑of‑mouth business approach.