Chanel acquires historic French shirtmaker Charvet

In a significant move to preserve French craftsmanship, Chanel has acquired the historic Parisian shirtmaker Charvet, the companies announced on Thursday, July 2, 2026. The acquisition ends 188 years of independent ownership for the world’s first specialist shirt tailor, bringing it into Chanel’s portfolio of heritage brands.

The deal includes Charvet’s headquarters and sole boutique on Paris’s Place Vendôme. Financial terms were not disclosed. The acquisition was motivated by a successful collaboration between Charvet and Chanel’s creative director, Matthieu Blazy, for his debut Spring/Summer 2026 collection last October. The bespoke shirts created for that show proved popular with clients and sparked discussions about a permanent partnership.

Bruno Pavlovsky, President of Fashion Activities at Chanel, stated that the Colban family, which has owned Charvet since the 1960s, was open to selling as they lacked a family successor. He emphasized that Chanel and Charvet share a deep commitment to quality and exacting standards. “We decided that the future of Charvet will be with Chanel,” Pavlovsky said. He noted that the brands complement each other, with Chanel being primarily a...