SEOUL, May 27 (AJP) - South Koreans love Chanel, and the fashion house loses Korean right back. For a few hours on Tuesday, the streets of Yeouido in western Seoul felt less like a business district and more like the center of the global fashion world.
Long before the show began, the venue for Chanel’s 2026 Métiers d’Art Collection in Seoul was already overflowing with cameras, flashing lights and tightly packed photographers lining the photo wall. Every new arrival triggered a fresh wave of shutter clicks as celebrities stepped briefly into the spotlight before disappearing inside.
The event unfolded in two sessions, but the rhythm remained the same throughout the evening — black cars pulling in one after another, security teams moving quickly, photographers shouting names in unison and celebrities pausing for only seconds beneath the barrage of flashes.
Among those drawing the loudest reactions were Kim Go-eun, Park Seo-joon, Ko Youn-jung and Lee Jung-jae, alongside Kazuha of LE SSERAFIM.
International guests added to the global scale of the evening. Japanese artist CHANMINA, Taiwanese actress Gwei Lun-mei, longtime Chanel ambassador Tilda Swinton and French actress Marion Cotillard each took their turn before the cameras, dressed in sharply tailored Chanel looks that blended classic silhouettes with theatrical detail.
The photo calls themselves lasted only moments. Celebrities posed briefly for full-body shots and close-ups before staff quickly guided them inside. Photographers continued firing nonstop, racing to capture expressions, gestures and head-to-toe looks within a narrow time window before the next arrival appeared.
The Métiers d’Art Collection occupies a special place within Chanel’s calendar. First launched in 2002, the project highlights the craftsmanship of the house’s artisan ateliers — the embroidery studios, feather makers, jewelers and textile specialists that preserve traditional couture techniques behind the scenes.
Each year, the collection travels to a different global city, merging Chanel’s heritage with local cultural inspiration. This year’s Seoul presentation carried additional attention as it marked the Asian unveiling of the first Métiers d’Art collection by creative director Matthieu Blazy, first shown in New York last December.
The choice of Seoul reflected a broader shift already visible across the luxury industry. As K-pop, Korean dramas and Korean celebrity culture continue expanding their global reach, Seoul has increasingly become a major stop for luxury houses staging large-scale runway shows, exhibitions and ambassador events.
International celebrities now regularly fly into the city for campaigns and fashion presentations that spread instantly across social media platforms worldwide.
By the time the final guests disappeared inside, the pace outside never fully slowed. Photographers remained in position, cameras raised, waiting for one more arrival beneath the flood of lights.
For one night, Seoul moved to the sound of camera shutters — another global fashion spectacle added to the city’s rapidly growing luxury stage.
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