The Design Language Series : Vol. II | The Return of Suede
Why luxury’s softest material is becoming fashion’s boldest statement. Fashion Is Softening Luxury fashion has spent the last decade chasing
Why luxury’s softest material is becoming fashion’s boldest statement. Fashion Is Softening Luxury fashion has spent the last decade chasing
A founder’s reflection on growth, the Blazy effect, bigger bags and the relationships behind the world’s most powerful maisons Luxury
The Design Language Series — Part One There are few names in fashion that carry the weight of Hermès. For
More luxury guides coming soon!
For fashion houses as storied as Chanel, change rarely happens overnight.
It arrives in subtle details. A shift in proportion. A new interpretation of an icon. A silhouette that feels simultaneously familiar and entirely new.
But every so often, a collection arrives that signals something bigger.
For many collectors, the 26P and 26S releases represent exactly that moment.
While Chanel remains firmly rooted in its heritage, these collections feel like the first real glimpse of how the house may evolve under the influence of Matthieu Blazy. Not a rejection of the past, but a confident reimagining of it.
And if the reaction from collectors is anything to go by, the appetite for this new direction is already extraordinary.
For decades, Chanel has mastered consistency.
The Classic Flap remains one of fashion’s most recognisable bags. The 2.55 remains timeless. Tweed, quilting, chain straps and camellias remain woven into the DNA of the house.
Yet luxury today is changing.
Collectors are increasingly seeking:
The 26P and 26S collections embrace that shift.
There is a sense of confidence running throughout these releases. Proportions feel bolder. Materials feel more experimental. Certain pieces feel designed not simply to be carried, but to be remembered.
For me, this collection became very real during a recent visit to Chanel’s flagship on 57th Street in New York.
What began as a conversation about the collection quickly turned into one of those rare luxury retail moments collectors remember for years.
After discussing the upcoming releases with my Sales Associate, I was first shown one of the new bucket silhouettes, followed by a beautiful suede interpretation.
Then came the moment that genuinely stopped me in my tracks.
The Dark Denim Maxi Flap.
A piece that immediately felt different.
Not because it shouted for attention, but because it managed to blend Chanel’s heritage with something fresher and more contemporary. The proportions, the denim execution and the sheer presence of the bag felt like a statement about where Chanel is heading next.
It remains one of the most memorable boutique experiences I’ve had.
And perhaps the clearest indication yet that these collections are resonating on a different level.
Following my New York experience, I’ve now secured an appointment in London this Saturday to view the collection in greater depth.
For collectors, these appointments are always exciting.
Not simply because of what might be available, but because they provide a chance to see how a collection feels in person. Luxury rarely translates perfectly through campaign imagery. The magic often happens when a piece is held, opened, carried and experienced.
And few recent Chanel collections have generated as much anticipation.
The bag that started it all for me.
The denim execution feels remarkably sophisticated, avoiding novelty and instead creating something genuinely collectible.
It captures everything that makes the current direction exciting:
Of all the pieces within the collection, this feels destined to become one of the most talked-about.
Luxury has spent years becoming smaller.
The XXL Maxi Flap moves decisively in the opposite direction.
Its scale feels dramatic and confident, harking back to an era when fashion embraced boldness rather than restraint.
Collectors looking for a future icon should pay attention.
If Chanel’s traditional lambskin represents refinement, the suede Maxi introduces softness and warmth.
It feels less formal, more relaxed and quietly luxurious.
Exactly the type of piece that resonates with today’s collector.
Perhaps one of the most wearable bags in the collection.
The contrast piping transforms an already successful silhouette into something distinctly graphic and modern.
This feels like a bag that could perform exceptionally well both in boutique demand and future collector interest.
Animal print has periodically appeared throughout Chanel history, but these executions feel particularly bold.
For some, they will be fashion pieces.
For others, they will become future archive pieces.
Either way, they are unlikely to be forgotten.
Every collection contains pieces that transcend practicality.
Pieces designed to create conversation.
Pieces destined for social media, collectors and future archive discussions.
This collection has several.
Perhaps the most playful and unexpected release.
It represents something increasingly rare in luxury: fun.
Not everything has to be timeless.
Sometimes a bag exists simply because it makes people smile.
And those are often the pieces collectors remember most.
If the Big Apple captures whimsy, the Superman Vanity captures pure collectability.
It feels like the type of piece that will never be about utility.
Instead, it represents the storytelling side of luxury — the pieces people talk about long after a collection disappears from boutiques.
The significance of 26P and 26S extends beyond individual bags.
What makes these collections important is what they represent.
They suggest a Chanel that is becoming:
Without losing the codes that made the house iconic in the first place.
For a brand as established as Chanel, that balance is incredibly difficult to achieve.
Yet this collection feels closer than any in recent years.
At Élan Archive, we’re always interested in the point where luxury shifts.
The moment where a collection stops being simply another seasonal release and begins influencing the wider market.
The 26P and 26S collections feel like one of those moments.
Whether through the Denim Maxi Flap, the XXL Maxi, the Black & White Chanel 25 or the highly collectible novelty pieces, these releases demonstrate a renewed willingness to push the house forward.
And as I head to London this weekend to experience the collection firsthand, one thing feels increasingly clear:
Chanel is entering a fascinating new chapter.
And collectors are paying very close attention.