Imagine a subway station transformed into a runway, a star-studded front row buzzing with anticipation, and the unmistakable glamour of Chanel descending upon New York City. This wasn’t just any fashion show—it was a cultural event that reignited the city’s love affair with haute couture. Today, Chanel’s Métiers d’Art 2026 collection made its grand debut in Manhattan, courtesy of designer Matthieu Blazy, who pulled off not one, but two dazzling presentations in the heart of the city.
Following his highly acclaimed spring 2026 collection in Paris last October, Blazy brought his visionary touch to the Big Apple, staging two shows—one at 3 p.m. and another at 7 p.m.—at the unassuming 168 Bowery subway station. Guests were treated to a unique spectacle: models strutting their stuff in front of a stationary train, blending urban grit with Parisian elegance.
Here’s where it gets even more intriguing: New York hadn’t hosted a Chanel show since 2018, when the legendary Karl Lagerfeld presented his Métiers d’Art collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, against the backdrop of the Temple of Dendur. Was Blazy’s choice of a subway station a nod to the city’s pulse, or a bold departure from Lagerfeld’s grandeur? The debate is already brewing.
And this is the part most people miss: the front row wasn’t just star-studded—it was a love letter to New York itself. Alongside new Chanel ambassadors like A$AP Rocky and Ayo Edebiri, Hollywood’s finest turned out in full force. Tilda Swinton, Meg Ryan, Bowen Yang, Teyana Taylor, Dapper Dan, Kristen Stewart, and Christine Baranski were just a few of the luminaries in attendance.
But here’s the twist: many of these A-listers have deep roots in the city. Rocky, a Harlem native, and actors like Edebiri and Ryan, who studied at NYU, brought a sense of hometown pride to the event. Even those who’ve moved on, like Questlove and SNL’s Bowen Yang, remain fixtures of New York’s cultural tapestry.
In celebration of Chanel’s New York moment, Vogue caught up with the front row to uncover their favorite Big Apple memories and must-haves. From hidden gems to iconic landmarks, their insights paint a vivid picture of a city that never sleeps—and always inspires.
But here’s the question that’s dividing fashion enthusiasts: Did Blazy’s subway station setting democratize haute couture, or did it lose the grandeur Chanel is known for? Let us know your thoughts in the comments—this is one conversation you won’t want to miss!
