A storm was brewing over New York, but deep beneath the city’s streets, a different kind of electricity was stirring. On a shadowy, disused subway platform, Chanel was rewriting its own rules. Gone was the familiar grandeur of the Grand Palais. In its place: the gritty, pulsating heartbeat of downtown Manhattan. For the house’s 2026 Métiers d’Art show, newly appointed creative director Matthieu Blazy didn’t just present a collection; he staged a play, casting the city itself in a starring role.
This was fashion with a fierce sense of character. Blazy, who made his ready-to-wear debut for the house only months prior, sent out a parade of urban personalities, each telling a distinct sartorial story. Think of the ‘70s journalist, all intuitive cool in an oversized pinstripe suit and fedora, hands tucked nonchalantly into pockets as model Alex Consani strode past a stationary train. Or the ‘80s powerhouse, ready to command a boardroom in a sharp neon animal-print skirt suit. Then, the evening dreamer, embodied by Anok Yai, who drifted from a train car in a breathtaking cascade of green leopard-printed tulle, a black turtleneck and layers of jewels providing an anchor of effortless chic. She was engrossed in the pages of the show’s newspaper invitation, a prop that felt entirely authentic.
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Of course, only Chanel could transform a subterranean transit hub into the season’s most exclusive destination, drawing a constellation of stars who perfectly mirrored the collection’s eclectic spirit. Tilda Swinton, Kristen Stewart, Solange Knowles, and new ambassadors A$AP Rocky and Margaret Qualley weren’t merely attendees; they became part of the scene, fellow passengers in this stylish, surreal commute.
While the setting was unconventional, the foundation was quintessentially Chanel: an awe-inspiring celebration of craftsmanship. The Métiers d’Art show exists to spotlight the legendary artisan ateliers like Lesage and Maison Michel, and Blazy ensured their work sang. A chunky charcoal coat became a canvas for extravagant, fluffy feathers. A sunset-pink ombré gown shimmered under the platform lights, each bead placed with intention. Yet, true to his philosophy, the embroidery never felt like mere decoration. “It’s not because it’s embroidered that it’s better,” Blazy explained in the show’s newspaper, “it’s because the embroidery serves a purpose… you can tell a story.”
That story wove together downtown denim and functional trench coats with theatrical triumphs—a scarlet and ivory suit trimmed with swinging black fringe recalled the drama of costumes Chanel herself once designed for Hollywood. It was a nod to heritage, but the vision was decisively forward-looking.
In the end, Blazy captured something essential about his muse. “When you take the subway,” he observed, “you truly never know who you’re going to meet.” On this dark December night, in the most unexpected of chambers, we met them all: the dreamers, the doers, the icons in the making. Chanel’s new era, it seems, is for everyone with a story to wear.
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