Chanel first-half comparable sales outperform rivals

Chanel’s comparable revenue rose about 16% in the first half of 2026, outpacing listed luxury rivals, according to a Bloomberg report cited by Reuters on August 5. The privately held French fashion house was helped by demand for creative director Matthieu Blazy’s new collections, the reports said. Chanel declined to comment to Reuters on the first-half performance. The company does not publish interim sales and officially reports only annual figures. Chanel said in its annual results published on May 19 that 2025 revenue rose 2% to $19.3 billion and operating profit increased 5% to $4.712 billion. The company said then that fashion performance was led by ready-to-wear and that Blazy had “opened a new creative chapter” for the house. Chanel’s annual filing also said the designer’s debut Spring Summer 2026 show took place in October 2025 and his first Métiers d’art collection followed in December. (live.euronext.com) ### How much faster did Chanel grow than the listed luxury groups? LVMH said on July 27 that first-half 2026 revenue was 38.6 billion euros and that organic revenue growth for the group was 3%. Hermès said on July 29 that first-half revenue reached 8.2 billion euros, with second-quarter sales up 7% at constant exchange rates. Against those disclosed figures, the roughly 16% comparable growth reported for Chanel would put the unlisted company ahead of two of the sector’s biggest quoted names. (chanel.com) Reuters said Bloomberg attributed Chanel’s outperformance to Blazy’s first collections and cited a person familiar with the company’s performance. Bloomberg also reported that the stronger showing allowed Chanel to buck a broader slowdown that has weighed on listed peers including LVMH and Hermès. (lvmh.com) ### What changed at Chanel this year? Chanel announced that Matthieu Blazy had been appointed artistic director of fashion activities and said he would join the house in 2025. The company said Blazy would be responsible for haute couture, ready-to-wear and accessories collections. March 2026 was the point when Blazy’s first collections began reaching stores, according to Reuters and other reports following the Bloomberg story. (live.euronext.com) Reuters said some products were recording sales increases of more than 25%. Bloomberg’s video report also said the new collections were a key driver of first-half growth. (chanel.com) ### Why does Chanel’s update matter if it does not report half-year figures? Chanel is one of the largest luxury groups not listed on a stock exchange, so its trading is usually less visible than that of LVMH or Hermès. The company’s financial-results page shows it publishes annual results by year ended December 31, rather than quarterly or half-year statements. That makes reported first-half performance notable because it offers a rare midyear read on one of the sector’s biggest privately owned brands. (live.euronext.com) The Bloomberg report was based on comparable revenue, while Chanel’s official annual statements are reported in U.S. dollars. Reuters did not provide a full regional or category breakdown for the first half. ### What comes next for investors watching the sector? LVMH’s investor calendar says its next scheduled revenue update is third-quarter 2026 results in October. (chanel.com) Hermès has already published its first-half results presentation from July 29. Chanel’s next official financial disclosure is likely to be its full-year 2026 results, based on its annual reporting pattern. (lvmh.com) (live.euronext.com)