Imagine one of the world's most iconic luxury brands staging a fashion show on a real, bustling subway platform. Sounds unconventional? That's exactly what Chanel's new creative director, Matthieu Blazy, pulled off in New York City, turning the underground into a runway like no other. But here's where it gets controversial: Is this a brilliant celebration of urban life, or a high-fashion stunt that misses the mark? Let’s dive in.
Just weeks after his dazzling Paris debut, Blazy brought Chanel’s annual Métiers d’Art show to Manhattan’s Bowery station, a decommissioned subway platform transformed into a fashion hub. This event, which honors the artisans behind Chanel’s craftsmanship, has traveled to a different city each year, but this time, it felt like a love letter to the city that never sleeps. And the guest list? A star-studded affair featuring A$AP Rocky, Tilda Swinton, Kristen Stewart, and more, proving that Chanel still knows how to draw a crowd.
The location was a closely guarded secret, with guests entering through an unassuming doorway at 168 Bowery. At first glance, it seemed like Chanel had simply recreated a subway station—tiled walls, turnstiles, even a newsstand with custom newspapers. But then, a flight of stairs revealed the real deal: an actual platform, complete with bleacher seats mimicking subway benches. As the familiar New York subway announcement blared, ‘Stand clear of the closing doors!’, a train rolled in, and out stepped the models, blending high fashion with everyday transit.
This wasn’t Chanel’s first New York show, but it was a stark contrast to the 2018 Métiers d’Art collection, where the late Karl Lagerfeld transformed the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Egyptian Temple of Dendur into a mini-Met Gala. That show channeled the opulence of Egyptian royalty, while Blazy’s vision was grounded in the everyday—inspired by the diverse, ordinary commuters who make the subway their own. And this is the part most people miss: Blazy wasn’t just showcasing fashion; he was celebrating the democracy of the subway, where students, statesmen, and teenagers coexist in a clash of styles and eras.
‘The New York subway belongs to all,’ Blazy noted. ‘It’s a place full of wonderful encounters, a mashup of pop archetypes.’ His models embodied this spirit, strolling the platform with an air of casual authenticity—some checking their watches for late trains, others leaning against posts as if waiting for the next one. By the finale, the platform was packed, creating a virtual rush hour of fashion, complete with the ‘Happy Days’ theme song playing in the background.
The collection itself was a tribute to Chanel’s craftsmanship, featuring everything from classic suits paired with ‘I (Heart) NY’ T-shirts to tweed coats, flowing capes, and boldly patterned skirts. Each piece highlighted the meticulous work of Chanel’s artisans, blending tradition with modernity.
Kristen Stewart, who attended the show, captured its essence perfectly: ‘This felt like breaking the system. I genuinely had an emotional response… It wasn’t one woman; it was so many different versions of a person walking.’ For Stewart, the subway setting felt like ‘a flurry of fleeting caught moments,’ each model a story waiting to unfold. ‘Where is she going?’ Stewart wondered. ‘I wanted to go with them. This felt real to me.’
To drive home the authenticity, Chanel even printed its own ‘newspaper,’ La Gazette, complete with articles and interviews. Blazy revealed that the collection was partly inspired by Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel’s 1931 visit to New York, and he didn’t hold back in his praise for the subway: ‘It’s almost like it’s the vortex of the city. It connects everything.’
So, was this a stroke of genius or a high-fashion gimmick? Blazy’s vision certainly challenged expectations, blending luxury with the everyday in a way that felt both bold and relatable. But we want to hear from you: Did Chanel’s subway show hit the right note, or did it miss the train? Let us know in the comments—this is one conversation that’s just getting started.
