CHANEL’s iconic Rouge Noir returns in a limited-edition collection for 2026, expanding beyond the nail into a modular vision of contemporary beauty.

By Phillza Mirza, January 2026

CHANEL REWRITES ROUGE NOIR FOR A NEW ERA

In 2026, CHANEL opens a new chapter in the story of Ruge Noir, inviting Ammy Drammeh, a member of the COMETES COLLECTIVE, to reinterpret one of the house’s most enduring signatures.

LE VERNIS

PERFORMER

RRP £30

First unveiled on the Autumn-Winter 1994 runway, Rouge Noir was never simply a colour. Born backstage when Heidi Morawetz mixed black and red to achieve a shade that felt instinctive rather than prescribed, it arrives as a quiet provocation. Dark, glossy, and subversive, it challenged conventions of beauty at the time and quickly became a symbol of modern femininity.

ROUGE NOIR CONFIDENCE

MULTI-USE PALETTE

RRP £80

More than three decades later, Rouge Noir continues to evolve. Under Drammeh’s vision, it moves fluidly across the face, no longer confined to nails but expressed through eyes, lips, and skin. This is Rouge Noir as modulation: dark, then sheer; bold then restrained.

LES PINCEAUX ROUGE NOIR

BRUSH SET

RRP £118

Smoky eyes paired with nude lips speak to balance in its purest form, while vibrant magentas energise and soft pinks offer moments of calm. Grey tones, subtly referencing rock icons, introduce an unexpected edge, proving that nuance can be as powerful as contrast.

ROUGE ALLURE VELVET

RRP £46

At the heart of this new chapter is transformation. Each texture, each shade reveals a different emotional register, shifting with light, mood, and gesture. Rouge Noir becomes less about a single statement and more about plurality, a colour that adapts without losing its identity.

NOIR ALLURE MASCARA

ROUGE NOIR

RRP £44

The accompanying collection, from multi-use palettes and sculptural brushes to mascaras, liners, lip colours, and the iconic Le Vernis, reflects this philosophy. Designed to move seamlessly between intensity and subtlety, these pieces encourage personal interpretation rather than fixed rules.

STYLO YEUX WATERPROOF EYELINER

ROUGE NOIR & GRIS GRAPHITE

RRP £28

“I am free,” declares Rouge Noir. Free to be classic and irreverent, restrained and daring, familiar and unexpected. Transcending trends and time, it remains a bold expression of self, never where you expect it to be. Rouge Noir does not ask to be defined. It invites you to define yourself.