The only substantive distinction is styling. Pick apart either of the collections and you'll find very similar offerings—a basic jean, some garish knits, a couple tweed jackets, and a lot of cutesy schlock. Lagerfeld's Coco Neige was the same, because he introduced all of the commercial kitsch we now associate with the brand. I don't know why so many people on this forum insist on acting as though this is a radical break from the supposed good taste of the past. Lagerfeld's first Coco Neige campaign had Margot Robbie looking like a Bavarian milk maid on her first trip to the Swiss Alps—that's just where these collections tend to land.
VV and KL made ugly stuff and the studio as well, this has been said many times by myself and many others & we mostly agree on this so nobody is acting past was all good taste either.
The same critique that the past got for years, is now equally valid for those that see where improvement has not been made with this new modernized Chanel.
At a point it comes down to taste and eye for details, color ,cut,proportions and expectations of what an improved/modernized Chanel in 2026 should contain or convey
In general its a radical change in how Chanel looks under Blazy,
good or bad, just as new Dior is totally different from MGC´s Dior but that is not an issue perse change is fashion.
On these drops speaking for myself the issue is that
its worse in sense of the things to improve are not fixed from old Chanel like: the frumpiness/old fashion, kitchyness, bad fit, zara chanel effect we had under VV and even KL at times.
We instead get a new version of a bad Chanel & on top of that a Chanel that is fragmented a Chanel that seems to be looking like many other brands....but distinctly Chanel! and lots more childish tricks sprinkled in.
The mandate of Blazy was to modernize Chanel as per his words, for me its lacking in that on many levels.
Looking forward when the full drop is available to see your side by side comparison to show your point i am not seeing right now.
finding 10-20 basic sweaters in past and new collections is not the exercise displayed with showing some total looks of neige 25 versus neige 26.
I know the collection has basic items (its the slogan of these collections we can all agree), i know how merchandising collection build up works and following a grid of things to cover in each drop /each season we can all agree on this as well.
Beside the typical winter themes it is what it is i agree, but i see the difference in key items and lack of sophistication in design and total look which was already an issue with past chanel drops as mentioned above.
Conclusion so far the drop of last year looks like a more grown up proposal even if it has kitschy details or basic items.
Hope it helps to see the difference.
