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Chanel’s Embroidered 11.12 Bag Is Rewriting Modern Luxury
The floral-embellished piece is fall’s biggest flex, looking just as good at a black-tie event as it does with your fave denim.
Embellished and effortless. Two words that sound like an impossible combo. But like Margot Robbie — who loves to throw a tweed jacket over a plain tank top — Chanel’s new 11.12 refuses to choose between couture and casual. The embroidered handbag flips the traditional style playbook, and it’s completely changing the vibe at the historic French label.
That aesthetic reset comes courtesy of Matthieu Blazy, who has been running the house as artistic director since 2024 after a highly celebrated stint leading Bottega Veneta. For Chanel’s Fall/Winter 2026 collection, he leaned all the way into what we’re calling the “Halls of Versailles” trend — think hyper-ornate, regal craftsmanship stripped of any royal stuffiness. (Olivia Rodrigo would be proud.)
“This bag is at once a mix of exquisite craft and approachable opulence.”
While the brand’s legacy will always be famous for its pristine, polished heritage, this newer, relaxed direction already has style insiders’ stamp of approval. “I’m forever in love with what Matthieu Blazy is creating for Chanel,” says Bustle Fashion Market Director Jennifer Yee, who has the ivory satin 11.12 sitting at the top of her fall wish list.
Featuring an intricate layer of floral-inspired beading, the piece feels intensely detailed yet totally wearable. “This bag is at once a mix of exquisite craft and approachable opulence,” Yee says. “It can easily be a fluid part of your wardrobe. I’d feel equally comfortable wearing it to a black-tie event or with jeans and a plain T-shirt.”
Steering clear of Chanel’s traditionally low-key quilted leather, the rest of this season’s bags match the new 11.12’s hyper-ornate energy. Flamboyant, tactile details — from pom-poms (a major player in 2026 fashion trends) to unexpected seashells — line the entire 11.12 lineup this year, giving the iconic silhouette a distinctly playful upgrade.
If you’re ready to embrace this highly decorative style, prepare to add a bag to your rotation when the Fall/Winter 2026 collection starts arriving this month. The secret is to actually wear it out in the real world instead of saving it for special occasions. As Yee puts it, the modern Chanel woman simply refuses to choose between dressing up and dressing down: “She does both.” So, consider this your official excuse to wear a Versailles-level accessory with your most beaten-up vintage jeans.
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Chanel Bag, Nothing Headphone (a), and Nothing Phone (4a) Pro
Photographs by: Karen Hibbert and Emma Chao
Writer: Alyssa Lapid
Editor-in-Chief: Charlotte Owen
Editorial Director: Christina Amoroso
Photo Director: Jackie Ladner
Production: Kiara Brown and Danielle Smit
Fashion Market Director: Jennifer Yee
Fashion Market Assistant: Noelia-Rojas West
Social Director: Charlie Mock
Special thanks to The Twenty Two New York