The French fashion house Chanel has made a historic move, holding a runway show on Australian soil for the first time in its more than century-long history. On November 5, the brand presented its 2026/27 cruise collection in Sydney, created by creative director Mathieu Blazy. The event, held at The Cutaway space in Barangaroo, brought together famous actors, musicians, models, and key figures from the fashion industry. For the Australian audience, the house re-presented the collection that premiered on April 28 in the French town of Biarritz—the very resort city that served as the primary inspiration for Blazy's first cruise collection at Chanel.
Back to the roots: Biarritz as a starting point
The choice of the collection's thematic anchor is not accidental and carries deep historical significance. In 1915, Gabrielle Chanel opened her first couture house outside of Paris in Biarritz, and over a century later, the brand returned to the atmosphere of the French coast, reinterpreting the signature Chanel aesthetic through the prism of modern resort fashion. For the Sydney show, organizers recreated the interior of a Biarritz Art Deco casino: mirrored surfaces, decorative details, and a light-colored floor served as the backdrop for a collection that blended elegance with ease. Ahead of the show, on November 4, Chanel also hosted an intimate event for guests at Shelly Beach in the Manly area.
Sea, tweed, and modern silhouettes
The 2026/27 cruise collection became a dialogue between the classic codes of the French house and modern beach fashion. Mathieu Blazy reinterpreted traditional tweed suits, complementing them with lightweight fabrics, loose silhouettes, and unusual decorative elements. On the runway, models showcased jackets, skirts, shorts, knitted dresses, swimwear, and nautical-themed sets. Particular attention was drawn to pieces with embroidery, fish-scale sequins, and voluminous details shaped like marine flora, as well as straw accessories, woven bags, shell-shaped jewelry, and headwear reminiscent of swimming caps. The designer worked extensively with textures: tweed was paired with crochet, raffia, and light materials that created a sense of movement, while the color palette ranged from restrained black and white tones to vibrant red, green, and turquoise. At the same time, recognizable symbols of the house—jackets, signature bags, decorative chains, and the interlocking 'C' logo—were preserved.
A star-studded guest list and Australian models
Among the key guests at the show were Hollywood actresses Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie, both of whom collaborate with the French house. Kidman chose a black jacket and trouser suit and attended with her youngest daughter, Sunday Rose, while Robbie opted for a romantic look in a semi-sheer white dress with floral details. Also in attendance were singer Kylie Minogue, director Baz Luhrmann, Olympic champion Cathy Freeman, musician Dom Dolla, and surfer Jack Robinson. The runway brought together prominent Australian models including Julia Nobis, Gemma Ward, Catherine McNeil, and Charlie Fraser, alongside younger faces like Latalia Hickling. Julia Nobis was entrusted with opening and closing the show, highlighting the special role of Australian models in Chanel's first local presentation.
A signal of the Australian market's importance
The presentation of the cruise collection became not only the first Chanel runway show in Australia but also one of the largest fashion events of its kind in the country. Previously, the house has held repeat collection presentations in various parts of the world—in Singapore, Dubai, Miami, and Seoul. Chanel's arrival in Sydney signals the growing importance of the Australian market to the international luxury industry: in 2025, the brand opened its largest Australian boutique in Sydney, covering nearly a thousand square meters, and continues to expand its presence in the country.
