Chanel Acquires the French Shirt Brand Charvet

The financial terms have not been disclosed, but the deal goes far beyond a simple brand acquisition: it highlights Chanel’s strategic evolution under Matthieu Blazy’s leadership by confirming the growing interest in assets tied to artisanal craftsmanship within the luxury sector.

Founded in 1838, Charvet is considered the world’s first true shirtmaker. Based on Place Vendôme in Paris since the 19th century, it has dressed an international clientele of heads of state, writers, industrialists, and collectors. Winston Churchill, Charles de Gaulle, Marcel Proust, and Coco Chanel were among its loyal customers. The house has only one boutique, as well as a workshop located in the Indre department. The workshop produces deliberately limited quantities to preserve a level of artisanal quality that has become very rare.

The acquisition is directly linked to the arrival, in late 2024, of creative director Matthieu Blazy at the helm of the Rue Cambon house’s design team. For his Spring/Summer 2026 fashion show, the designer commissioned Charvet to create the white shirts, which became the central theme of his collection. This partnership convinced Bruno Pavlovsky, President of Fashion at Chanel, to begin discussions with the Colban family, which has owned the shirtmaker since 1965.

While no financial details have been disclosed regarding the transaction, it is known that the deal includes the historic building located at No. 28 Place Vendôme, an exceptional heritage asset whose value likely represents a significant portion of the transaction.

For Chanel, whose revenue reached $19.3 billion in 2025, this acquisition is financially marginal but strategically significant. After several years dedicated to integrating suppliers—from feather workers to weavers—the house is continuing its strategy of controlling the production chain. Charvet, however, is a special case: it is not a subcontractor, but a heritage house whose identity will be preserved and which will continue to operate independently, driven by its historical legitimacy, its narrative, and its strong cultural symbolism. This type of transaction confirms once again that major conglomerates are no longer solely seeking international or trendy brands to enrich their portfolios, but are now targeting rare houses that possess an intangible heritage that is difficult to replicate.