On Tuesday night, Chanel took another bold step in its storied history by transforming an abandoned New York City subway station into a true runway for the presentation of its Métiers d’Art 2026 collection. Under the creative direction of Matthieu Blazy, the maison revived the urban spirit of the city and celebrated the artisanal savoir-faire that defines its identity — a blend of street-level reality and haute couture excellence.
The chosen location — a decommissioned section of the Bowery station — was meticulously transformed: LED lighting, wooden panels echoing vintage carriages, retro turnstiles and an atmosphere that evoked the authentic pulse of the New York underground. Models emerged like ordinary commuters, dressed in tweeds, 1920s-inspired ensembles, fluid silhouettes, reimagined denim and even T-shirts printed with the iconic “I ❤️ NY” slogan — a nod to the city’s multicultural energy and dynamism.
The collection travelled through decades of style: from 1920s art deco to contemporary streetwear, with elements of ready-to-wear and couture touches — a hybrid approach reflecting the essence of Métiers d’Art: tradition, creative freedom and constant renewal.
Among the guests and celebrities in attendance were major names — including the maison’s newest ambassadors — reinforcing the event’s global visibility and Chanel’s desire to engage with multiple cultural languages, from classic luxury to pop culture.
The gesture of taking high fashion into Manhattan’s underground is more than symbolic: it represents Chanel’s intention to reconnect past and present, exclusivity and accessibility, glamour and urban reality. For Blazy, the subway — with its incessant movement and democratic character — became the perfect stage to celebrate the notion that style has no hierarchy, borders or geographic privilege.
The Métiers d’Art 2026 collection challenges the rigidity of traditional luxury and reaffirms that contemporary fashion must engage with the city, with everyday life, with diversity — and, above all, with its times. In the Big Apple, Chanel proved it can still blend elegance, boldness and cultural relevance — showing that glamour is not about isolation, but about presence.
For fashion lovers, this show was more than an event: it was a manifesto. A reminder that today’s most authentic luxury is the one that honours craftsmanship, embraces urban culture and transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary.
The next stop? The trend is already in motion — and Chanel is riding it with full force.
