Chanel is returning to the Eternal City. The house announced Friday that Matthieu Blazy will unveil the Métiers d’Art 2027 collection in Rome on Dec. 2, marking a significant homecoming for a brand whose history is deeply intertwined with Italian artistry and cinema.
The announcement comes as a pivotal moment for the house, following Blazy’s previous presentation in a New York City subway station last year. While the exact venue in Rome remains under wraps, the choice of location is far from arbitrary. It serves as both a nod to the founder’s personal archives and a strategic alignment with Blazy’s own professional sensibilities.
To signal the theme of the upcoming show, Chanel released a vintage photograph of Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel alongside the legendary Italian filmmaker Luchino Visconti. The image recalls a specific intersection of fashion and film: the 1962 comedy anthology Boccaccio ’70. For that project, Chanel designed the costumes for the film’s star, Romy Schneider, cementing a creative kinship between the couturière and the Italian cinematic avant-garde.
A Cinematic Legacy in the Eternal City
Rome has long functioned as a muse for Chanel. According to the house, Gabrielle Chanel first discovered Italy in the summer of 1920, beginning a lifelong affinity for the region. Her frequent stays in the capital were not merely leisure trips; they were immersive studies in Renaissance painting, antique art, and the burgeoning world of Italian cinema.
These experiences did more than provide a backdrop for her travels—they fueled her imagination and left a permanent mark on her design philosophy. By returning to Rome for the 2027 collection, the house is not simply staging a runway show, but “writing a new chapter in its enduring story with Italy,” as the brand stated.
What we have is not the first time Chanel has leveraged Italy’s architectural and cultural grandeur. The brand recently presented its Cruise 2026 collection against the serene backdrop of Lake Como. The late Karl Lagerfeld, Chanel’s longtime creative director, famously transformed Rome’s Cinecittà film studio into a high-fashion spectacle for the 2015 Métiers d’Art collection, blending the art of the silver screen with the rigor of the atelier.
Blazy’s Italian Influence and the ‘Pinnacle’ of Rome
The appointment of the location also reflects the personal trajectory of Matthieu Blazy. Formerly the creative director at Bottega Veneta, Blazy possesses a deep-seated connection to Italian craftsmanship and aesthetic traditions. This familiarity is a key asset as he navigates the complexities of the Métiers d’Art line.
Bruno Pavlovsky, president of fashion and president of Chanel SAS, emphasized that Blazy’s affinity for the country made Rome a natural choice. In a statement to WWD, Pavlovsky acknowledged the weight of the city’s history, noting that “tackling Rome is always a challenge, because it represents a pinnacle.” He described the city as a “mythical destination” that provides an endless source of inspiration beyond the confines of the fashion industry.
For Blazy, the challenge lies in balancing the house’s Parisian identity with the “exceptional heritage” of the Italian capital, ensuring the collection feels like a dialogue between two cultural powerhouses rather than a mere tourist exercise.
The Architecture of Craft: Inside Le19M
The Métiers d’Art collections are distinct from Chanel’s seasonal ready-to-wear or haute couture. Timed around the pre-fall season, these collections are specifically designed to showcase the extraordinary capabilities of the specialty ateliers that Chanel has acquired over decades to preserve endangered crafts.
Most of these artisans are now housed at Le19M, a striking architectural landmark on the outskirts of Paris designed by Rudy Ricciotti. This facility serves as a centralized hub for the “petites mains” whose work defines the brand’s luxury status. The ateliers grouped here include:
- Lesage: Renowned embroiderers and tweed-makers.
- Montex: Specializing in intricate embroidery and decoration.
- Massaro: Master shoemakers.
- Lemarié: Experts in feathers and artificial flowers.
- Maison Michel: Premier milliners.
- Lognon: Specialists in pleating.
- Paloma: The grand flou atelier.
- Goossens: Master goldsmiths.
By moving the runway to Rome, Chanel allows these Parisian-based crafts to be viewed through an Italian lens, continuing a tradition of global storytelling that has previously taken the brand to Tokyo, Edinburgh, Hangzhou, and Dakar.
Recent Chanel Global Destinations
| Collection | Location | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Métiers d’Art 2026 | New York City, USA | Subway station setting |
| Cruise 2026 | Lake Como, Italy | Lakeside elegance |
| Métiers d’Art 2027 | Rome, Italy | Cinematic and Renaissance heritage |
As the fashion world looks toward December, the anticipation centers not only on the garments but on the reveal of the location. Whether Blazy returns to the cinematic halls of Cinecittà or chooses a hidden Renaissance palazzo, the event is poised to be a definitive statement on the intersection of modern luxury and classical history.
The industry now awaits the official disclosure of the venue and the first glimpses of the collection leading up to the Dec. 2 presentation. Official updates are typically shared via the house’s primary communication channels and social media.
Do you think the return to Rome is the right move for Matthieu Blazy’s vision at Chanel? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
