Matthieu Blazy Introduces Chanel’s Grit and Glamour to the NYC Subway

In October, the fashion world eagerly welcomed Matthieu Blazys debut for Chanel. This evening, however, on a bustling New York City subway platform, attention shifted from applause to simply stepping aside as the train doors closed. Blazy brought the couture house downtown, showcasing his first Mtiers dart collection in a disused station.

The audience included ELLE cover stars Teyana Taylor, Jessie Buckley, and A$AP Rocky, alongside Margaret Qualley, Blazys wife and Chanel insider; Tilda Swinton; brand ambassador Ayo Edebiri; and others seated neatly on the wooden benches. The contrast of high glamour against a gritty urban backdrop offered a striking visual for the evening.

New York City remains a symbolic choice for Blazys second major presentation. Though not Chanels origin nor a European fantasy, the brand shares a long history with the metropolis, from Gabrielle Chanels first visit in 1931 en route to Hollywood to Karl Lagerfelds final Mtiers dart collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2018, just months before his death. The citys raw energy and business acumen mirror the journey of Gabrielle Chanel herself, who rose from modest beginnings to fashion prominence.

Reflecting the shows Canal Streetadjacent setting, Chanel embraced the urban grind and overlooked the American imitations of her designs encountered during her visits, which journalist Janet Flanner highlighted in her New Yorker profile. Chanel even praised these copyists for their inadvertent publicity, defying traditional French notions of elegance. A similar playful boldness permeates Blazys contemporary vision for the house.

Author: Sophia Brooks