Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin and Michaela Seewald chose one of New York’s grandest rooms to introduce their new venture to the world. Vanderbilt & Seewald Global Studio — V&S Global Studio for short — made its New York Fashion Week debut with a runway show inside Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall, playing to a packed house.
The idea behind the venture is as straightforward as it is ambitious: bring investment, strategic guidance, media, technology and direct-to-consumer commerce together under one roof, then use that combination to help international designers build a presence in the United States and around the world — while letting them keep their ownership, their creative control and their brand identity.
Vanderbilt Costin, founder and CEO of House of Vanderbilt and co-founder of SohoMuse, has spent years working where heritage brands meet modern business. Seewald, founder and CEO of V24 Media, brings the media and technology strength. Their shared bet: designers with genuine talent shouldn’t have to give up their companies to earn a foothold in America.
The debut itself ran with the polish of a far older operation. Mario Lopez emceed the evening, keeping the energy high between looks. Three designers sent collections down the runway: Mexico’s Lorena Saravia, whose work brings Mexican craftsmanship together with modern luxury; Stockholm-based Dustin Glickman of DSTN, known for a “dark cowboy” aesthetic; and Paris couturier Nabil Hayari of Hayari Paris, carrying the banner for classic Parisian couture.
There were moments built to raise goosebumps. A color guard representing the U.S. Army and the U.S. Navy added a patriotic dimension to the evening — a nod to America approaching its 250th anniversary — and Leslie Ann Lopez delivered a special musical performance.
Then came the night’s most talked-about surprise. AEXA Technology brought four Vanderbilt legends to life as holograms: Cornelius Vanderbilt, Alva Vanderbilt, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney and Consuelo Vanderbilt Balsan appeared on stage in shimmering light — more than a century of family history, standing in the very hall the family helped bring into being.
That history runs deep. The Vanderbilt family helped shape Grand Central Terminal over a hundred years ago, and Vanderbilt Costin’s return brought the family name back to the landmark in memorable fashion.
The technology didn’t stop at holograms. The show leaned into livestream e-commerce and Click-to-Buy, connecting the physical runway at Grand Central directly with shoppers watching from far beyond the terminal’s walls.
And in a charming break with tradition, the show started on time — no small thing at New York Fashion Week, where late starts are practically a house rule. More information about the venture is available at vsglobalstudio.com.
Be First to Comment