How Mathieu Blazy reinvented the classic Chanel cap-toe pump

3rd February 2026

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Aside from quilted lambskin, interlocking ‘CC’s and the camellia flower, there’s not much more synonymous with Chanel than black toe caps on classic cream leather – most famously a feature of Coco Chanel’s favourite slingback pumps, launched in 1957.

Over the years since Coco’s passing and as other designers have taken the elusive reins at the house, cap-toe footwear has become a stalwart of every collection – iterated in everything from ballet flats to espadrilles, boots and moccasins. 

But when Matthieu Blazy, celebrated former creative director at Bottega Veneta, was appointed as the new leader at Chanel in December 2024, change was afoot (literally). His first collection, Metiers d’Art 2026, gave the first hints of his reinterpretation of Chanel footwear – including sock-style high-vamp heels with minimal toe caps and cube-toe versions of Coco’s famous slingbacks. Another pair, with central contrast white trims and a slender squared-off toe, seemed to be the hit of the collection – with the likes of Nicole Kidman championing them at recent events.

Then came the designer’s much-anticipated first haute couture collection at the house – a hit with critics for its light, airy approach – which saw him hard-launch some pretty bold interpretations of Chanel’s classic heels. Already dubbed the ‘mushroom heels’ by the internet, Blazy added whimsical fungi figures to classic pumps with slender toe caps (a nod to the natural inspirations of the collection, and in keeping with the mushroom-studded set at the Grand Palais).

The jury’s out on the mushroom heels – reactions ranged from obsessed to aghast – but for the most part, Chanel’s new footwear era has been well received by potential shoppers, with many noting its similarities to Prada classics. Haute Couture collection aside, most of Blazy’s shoe offering has been hailed for its modern subtlety.

His most commercial leaning reinvention, however, might just be the diamond-shaped toe-cap heels first showcased at Blazy’s very first Metiers d’Art show – worn by the likes of Dua Lipa and Gracie Abrams at the recent Haute Couture outing.

It seems that Matthieu’s approach is to challenge the ‘codes’ that Chanel is so well-known for – something he noted to press during previews of his Haute Couture debut. “I wanted to see whether, when you strip away the usual Chanel signatures -the tweed, the jewelled buttons – you can still get to that essence,” he told WWD. 

He also told Vogue of his more surreal Haute Couture inspirations: “[I] consider this collection almost as a respite: something magical, something that makes you dream, something poetic, a moment of calm and stillness, almost like a Sunday morning.”

As for what Coco herself would make of her house today, we’ll never know of course – though as a woman who once said, “simplicity is the keynote of all elegance,” she may have had something to say about the mushroom heels.