Chanel Haute Couture Fall 2026 Shoes Lean Into Whimsy

Matthieu Blazy spun a whimsical fairy tale for his Chanel fall 2026 couture collection down to the ornate shoes that walked the runway.

At the star-studded show, which took place at the Grand Palais in Paris on Tuesday as part of fashion week, the looks were inspired by classic fairy tales including titles like “Jack and the Beanstalk” and “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.” Joelle Diederich reviewed the show for WWD and shared that Blazy held an old leather-bound book of fairy tales backstage — he had found it in Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel’s Paris apartment. The designer shared that he asked himself, “Is Gabrielle’s life a fairy tale as well? Did she also climb her ladder to find her golden goose?”

Blazy had already reinterpreted Chanel’s famous cap-toe aesthetic — a style introduced in 1957 — beginning with his debut for the brand, the spring 2026 ready-to-wear collection. He continues to play with the proportions of the cap-toe look, but this time around he incorporated playful details, with highlights including pumps with colorful sculpted heels that look like they were plucked out of a story book. In one example, a pump features a bright green croc-print upper and slender red cap toe; the mismatched heels in back are intricately sculpted garden scenes with details including a butterfly, hummingbird and a little figure in boots and a yellow coat.

Another pair of cap-toe slingback pumps embrace the nature-inspired mismatched heel route with a sculpted chicken on one side and an egg on the other. Some models wore heels embellished with straw, with the most obvious example being a set entirely covered in the prickly beige material and further adorned with floral designs.

There was also a diverse array of pumps showcasing various color-blocked designs including animal print, metallics, furry material, mesh and more details.

As written in the review for WWD, Diderich believes the unique shoes will be a draw for customers: “Clients are sure to make a beeline for the tiny minaudières shaped like chickens or sleeping bears, and the shoes with heels sculpted like butterflies or golden eggs.”

Another quote from Blazy in Diderich’s review speaks to the importance of the little things at the French label.

“Chanel couture is not about the big ‘wow.’ Chanel couture is about the details,” Blazy said. “If people think that couture is a big painting, I think maybe at Chanel, it’s more like a miniature or something that feels precious, but that you can also put in your pocket.”