Matthieu Blazy’s SS26 Show Is Not The First Time Chanel Has Gone To Outer Space

Jeff Bezos, eat your heart out… Because space travel has never been so in Vogue. Just look at Lauren Sanchez and her all-female astronaut crew (yes, it sparked controversy, but admit it – their mission meant space tourism is definitely trending in 2025). And if you thought that was bold, wait – there’s a space hotel on the horizon. (More on that in a moment.)

Fashion and cosmos collided spectacularly at Paris Fashion Week when Matthieu Blazy unveiled his debut Chanel collection against a backdrop that felt like a portal to another dimension. For Spring-Summer 2026, the Grand Palais was transformed into an interstellar runway: a constellation of oversized planets hung overhead, casting prismatic beams of light across mirrored floors. 

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The installation became both metaphor and stage – a universe in which Chanel’s iconic codes were reframed through the lens of the infinite universe. Gabrielle Chanel was an ardent astronomy lover, “I love everything that is above: the sky, the moon, I believe in the stars” she  once said. This was the quote that Chanel chose to share on Instagram following Blazy’s debut show. 

“For this first Chanel show, I wanted to do something quite universal, like a dream, something outside of time, and I was fascinated by the universe of stars, a theme so dear to the House,” explained Blazy, “We all observe the same sky, and I think it provokes the same emotions in us.”

Under the Grand Palais’s vaults, planets hovered as models glided through what felt like the edge of space. Some shows are mere spectacle; this one felt like a cosmic awakening. Beneath the cosmic staging, Blazy’s clothes traced a line between couture ritual and futuristic yearning. Tweed, jersey, silk – Chanel’s signature materials – were reworked, softened, sometimes deconstructed, their internal geometry bared.

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This time, the Grand Palais was not just a venue – it was a universe. Massive spheres floated in moody half-darkness, as if Chanel had engineered its own solar system. And at its center: Matthieu Blazy, the gravitational force holding it all together.

Planet Chanel has officially entered orbit

Of course, Chanel’s flirtation with the stars is not new. Back in 2017, Karl Lagerfeld literally built a rocket inside the Grand Palais. You could always count on Chanel for an out-of-this-world runway. But Karl took it literally – the spectacle became Chanel’s own orbital station within Paris’s iconic dome.

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His AW17 ready-to-wear show leaned into Space Age nostalgia – tweeds, checks, mini skirts layered over shorts – and then, after the models walked the perimeter catwalk, the rocket “launched.” Smoke, fire, and a set piece that shot up 33 feet under Elton John’s “Rocket Man.” Utterly unforgettable.

Models orbited that structure; the rocket rose amid plumes of smoke. The show became a theatrical statement that was both futuristic and, in true Lagerfeld fashion, totally audacious.

The Space Age Is Trending

While Chanel continues to reference celestial themes, the cosmos is no longer just a poetic backdrop. It is becoming a space (pun intended) for tech, innovation, and commercial ambition.

Last year Prada partnered with Axiom Space to design the spacesuit that will be worn by the first woman and first person of colour to ever walk on the moon. Set for launch as early as September 2026, NASA’s Artemis III mission will mark the first lunar landing since Apollo 17 in 1972, and its newly unveiled “Extravehicular Mobility Unit” was revealed at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan. “We are pioneering a new era in space exploration,” said Russell Ralston, Axiom Space’s EVP of Extravehicular Activity. Though the suit doesn’t flaunt a Prada logo, its aesthetic nods to the brand’s Linea Rossa collection with bold red accents cutting through a sleek white silhouette – a subtle wink to Luna Rossa, which fittingly translates to “Red Moon.”

Two forthcoming projects, Voyager Station and Pioneer Station – by Above: Space Development (formerly Orbital Assembly) – are aiming to become the first luxury accommodations in orbit. The company claims it could have functioning space hotels within “60 months” of securing sufficient funding (on the order of $1 billion). With two hotels in planning, your next “staycation” might just involve Earth below your feet.

The space tourism boom is accelerating. Reusable rockets, private investor capital, and burgeoning public appetite are fueling the rise of orbital resorts, lunar missions, and small satellite infrastructure. The key trends? Commercialization of low-Earth orbit, new space infrastructure, growth in deep space exploration (NASA’s Artemis and beyond), and the democratisation of space access beyond government agencies.

On April 14, 2025, Lauren Sánchez blasted off aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard in what became a headline-making, all-female spaceflight dubbed NS-31. She wasn’t alone – the crew included pop star Katy Perry, journalist Gayle King, former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, bioastronautics researcher Amanda Nguyen, and film producer Kerianne Flynn. The mission lasted about 10 minutes and 21 seconds and carried them past the Kármán line (roughly 62 miles above Earth), giving them a brief taste of weightlessness before the capsule returned safely to Texas soil. Beneath the glamour and spectacle, the flight was meant to be a symbolic gesture – these women weren’t just tourists in space, but storytellers pushing the narrative of possibility for future generations.

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Meanwhile Elon Musk’s SpaceX is in overdrive right now. The company is gearing up for its 11th Starship flight test, slated for October 13, 2025, from its South Texas launch complex. In preparation, SpaceX just moved its latest Starship prototype to the pad for testing, signaling that the megarocket is nearing its next major trial. Musk’s SpaceX also continues to dominate launch contracts. The U.S. Space Force recently awarded it $714 million for five military missions – more than double the amount given to its nearest rival – reinforcing its position as the go-to provider for high-stakes, government launches.

That’s not all of course – Musk has Mars on his mind. He’s mapped out a plan to launch the first uncrewed Starships toward Mars in the 2026/27 window, contingent on overcoming the challenge of orbital refuelling. If all goes to plan, SpaceX could begin sending cargo – and eventually people – toward building a self-sustaining colony beyond Earth’s bounds.

In market terms, the shift is clear: the domain of space is expanding beyond state budgets to private balance sheets. Agencies are ceding ground, while private players lead missions. The sector is booming, and luxury is staking a claim. As the fashion world now reaches for the stars, the stars are closer than ever.