Métiers d’Art Fashion Show: Matthieu Blazy Takes Chanel To The Heart of New York’s Diversity

Matthieu Blazy chose New York, the city where he lived for several years, to host his first major Métiers d'Art show at the helm of Chanel. The Franco-Belgian creative director opted for a very “New York” underground setting that reveals a lot about his spirit and the house's ambitions, which are focused on the American continent.

"The New York subway belongs to everyone. Everyone uses it: students and gamechangers, statesmen and teenagers. It's a place full of enigmatic yet wonderful encounters, a clash of pop archetypes, where everyone has somewhere to go and each is unique in what they wear. Like in the movies, they are the heroes of their own stories," commented Matthieu Blazy in a press release.

At the same time, the campaign for the show, unveiled on Sunday, November 30, featured rapper A$AP Rocky and actress Margaret Qualley, a surprising choice but one that was well received by critics who suspected a possible men's line. The duo was obviously present to admire the show from the New York subway station.

Blazy, who trained with Raf Simons and worked at Margiela and then Bottega Veneta before his appointment at Chanel, transformed the disused Bowery station in Manhattan's Lower East Side into an urban theater: models descend from a train, subway benches are repurposed as catwalks, and the staging magnifies the iconic tweeds, embroidery, pleats, and all the savoir-faire of the Rue Cambon fashion house, injecting a dose of pop and irony.

Métiers d'Art, the annual showcase for Chanel's collaborating artisans, has always served as a symbolic laboratory for the fashion house: the event highlights its commitment to its workshops and artisanal excellence, while testing contemporary and innovative solutions for presenting its designs. For Matthieu Blazy, the idea is not to replicate the pomp and circumstance of his predecessors, but rather to open the house to a style more in tune with today's lifestyles, while preserving the precious characteristics of the brand's DNA.

This key moment of creative expression comes at a complicated financial time: last year, Chanel published results marked by a decline in sales. Its annual revenue in 2024 amounted to $18.7 billion, down 4.3% from the previous year. In its press releases, Chanel referred to the problems also highlighted by other French luxury giants: the difficult macroeconomic environment and the need to invest heavily to secure the brand's future. Management has increased spending on stores, real estate, and marketing in order to consolidate the commercial structure and support creative revival.

The New York fashion show can therefore be interpreted both as an artistic expression and a strategic signal: Blazy and Chanel are putting craftsmanship back at the center, with the intention of further strengthening the brand's image and attracting the attention of the crucial American market. By focusing on an urban setting and inclusive storytelling, Blazy suggests a “gentle modernization” of Chanel, respecting its historical codes while appealing to a broader, more urban audience. The impact on sales and the brand could be felt quickly.