Chanel Métiers d’Art 2025: The ‘C’ Line
Chanel returned to New York on a Tuesday for its annual Métiers d’Art collection show, marking the inaugural presentation under artistic director Matthieu Blazy. The event unfolded as a cinematic, city-centre experience that showcased Blazy’s clear, continuing vision for the house and highlighted the expertise of Chanel’s artisans.
Below ground on Bowery, at 168 Bowery’s abandoned subway platform — a setting previously used by Tom Ford for his Spring 2020 show — guests including brand ambassadors A$AP Rocky and Margaret Qualley, along with Tilda Swinton, Kristen Stewart, Solange, G. Dragon, Jessie Buckley, Linda Evangelista, Dapper Dan, Charlotte Casiraghi, Rose Byrne, Riley Keough, Jon Bon Jovi, and many others, boarded the “C” train as subway sounds filled the space.
“I’m at my Chanel stop,” quipped actress Jenny Slate, front row in a tweed jacket and khaki trousers.
Emily Ratajkowski attended her first Chanel show and shared that the subway setting felt like a personal fantasy: “I’m so happy to be here. I ride the subway regularly, and it felt like every outfit and every portrayal of a woman I am — sometimes a mom, sometimes glamorous in a ballgown — riding the subway.” She added she’s inspired to recreate looks from the show, praising a translucent raincoat over a sequined cheetah print for its pattern and color.
Above ground, Chanel clients dressed to impress as rain poured, with celebrities and fashion insiders navigating multiple security checkpoints at the Kenmare Street and Bowery corner. Inside, the underground platform merged Parisian chic with downtown New York energy.
Ahead of the show, the subway also played a pivotal role in Michel Gondry’s short film, which carried the house’s custom La Gazette invitation suite — a newspaper featuring Blazy interviews, artisan profiles, and puzzles.
Qualley remarked after the show that the subway setting felt glamorous and quintessentially New York, and that collaborating with Gondry and A$AP Rocky on the teaser film was a cool way to participate in the event.
Blazy described the collection as character-driven, drawing inspiration from a ’70s journalist, an ’80s businesswoman, Gabrielle Chanel’s early America cinema wardrobes from 1931, and contemporary figures — spanning from children and students to world leaders, all the way to opera-goers donning ballgowns and a singularly costumed “Spiderman” encountered during past New York subway rides.
The show also introduced Chanel’s own “Clark Kent” motif — featuring a blue, red, and yellow graphic sweater peeking from beneath a structured plaid blazer and brown trousers — and a striking fringed skirt made from sparkling, upside-down representations of the Empire State Building.
Blazy explained that Chanel’s founder’s return to New York emphasized seeing women outside the elite circles who had adopted the Chanel style; upon returning to Paris, this energy fueled ongoing design. He aimed to translate this cinematic lens into wearable, modern silhouettes with a touch of exaggeration reminiscent of film wardrobes.
Models began the show by stepping out of an incoming train and making their way along the subway platform, embodying a true New York moment. Blazy noted the subway’s appeal as a place where all segments of society intersect — a space without hierarchy but filled with glamour.
The collection spanned eras, mixing ’20s beehive hairstyles with ’80s power suits, and featuring a prolific use of animal prints inspired by Gabrielle Chanel’s wardrobe. New techniques produced hand-woven leopard tweed sets, while silks evoked Astrakhan fur, and a tweed-inspired version of the 1931 film poster for “Tonight or Never,” for which Chanel designed costumes.
Blazy highlighted a denim-like light blue set crafted from silk using an early-20th-century technique, and emphasized lighter, more airy tweeds throughout the line, extending to refined occasionwear such as shimmering ombré gowns and floating ballgown skirts made from oversized, frayed “petals” resembling animal prints, paired with turtlenecks.
Luxuriously crafted knits and American sportswear also featured prominently, with Blazy describing a goal to introduce a new classic through bouclé check fabrics with chain-hem details — a nod to Pendleton’s American heritage and Gabrielle Chanel’s enduring influence.
Bruno Pavlovsky, Chanel’s president of fashion and head of Chanel SAS, remarked that returning to New York offered a fresh energy and a different city perspective from the brand’s previous Métiers d’Art locations. He highlighted the show as a major, yet distinct, iteration following Karl Lagerfeld’s earlier Métiers d’Art presentation in New York.
The Métiers d’Art show celebrates Chanel’s ateliers and artisans, from Rue Cambon to le19M, including feather workers, florists, goldsmiths, shoemakers, milliners, glove-makers, tanners, embroiderers, and more. Since its 2002 launch, the traveling show has visited many cities globally, including Hangzhou, Manchester, and Dakar.
Pavlovsky stressed that Matthieu Blazy’s approach marks a new lens on the city and that the event’s location in Lower East Side mirrors a deliberate contrast to previous Upper East Side venues, underscoring Chanel’s connection to New York’s energy.
Blazy’s second show for the brand balanced elegance with playfulness, featuring dramatic feather decorations, vivid colors, bags accented by coffee cup motifs, and a shimmering set adorned with dog faces. Pavlovsky quipped that New York is characterized by two constants — dogs and coffee cups — underscoring Blazy’s talent for blending uptown polish with downtown vitality.
Chanel continues to travel to meet clients where they live, with Pavlovsky noting the brand’s global approach and commitment to engaging with customers worldwide. While the U.S. market remains Chanel’s largest, he emphasized that popularity in Korea, China, and Japan mirrors the U.S. trend, and that the brand’s ready-to-wear and bag categories are strong as the economy supports luxury demand. He also stressed that Chanel prioritizes product quality, artisanal know-how, and emotional resonance over aggressive pricing strategies.
Chanel recently opened a two-level flagship boutique at Bloomingdale’s, but Pavlovsky underscored that the New York show is far more expansive, reflecting ambassadors’ visions for the brand. The company’s strategy centers on embracing global city cultures and translating them into Chanel’s unique interpretation, as Blazy continues to shape the house’s modern dialogue with a New York-infused lens.
