Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin and Michaela Seewald made a spectacular entrance at New York Fashion Week with the launch of Vanderbilt & Seewald Global Studio, bringing together international fashion, American heritage, entertainment and cutting-edge technology inside the iconic Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Terminal.
The highly anticipated NYFW presentation marked the first major public showcase of the new global fashion venture, founded by Vanderbilt Costin, founder and CEO of House of Vanderbilt and co-founder of SohoMuse, and Michaela Seewald, founder and CEO of V24 Media.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 14: Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin and Michaela Seewald attend the House Of Vanderbilt Invites You To An Exclusive Dinner at Palladino’s Steak & Seafood on September 14, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Ostuni/Patrick McMullan/PMC)
The duo created V&S Global Studio with a global mission: to help international designers expand into the U.S. and other major markets while retaining ownership, creative control and the unique identity of their brands. The platform combines investment, strategic guidance, media exposure, technology and direct-to-consumer commerce to create new opportunities for emerging and established international fashion talent.
International Designers Take the NYFW Stage
With television personality Mario Lopez serving as emcee, the runway featured three distinctive international fashion voices: Mexican designer Lorena Saravia, Stockholm-based designer Dustin Glickman of DSTN, and Paris couturier Nabil Hayari of Hayari Paris.
Each designer brought a distinctive perspective to the Vanderbilt & Seewald presentation. Saravia showcased her signature combination of Mexican craftsmanship and contemporary luxury, while DSTN presented its edgy “dark cowboy” aesthetic. Hayari Paris brought the sophistication and drama of Parisian couture to the historic New York setting.
Together, the designers reflected V&S Global Studio’s international vision and its goal of positioning New York as an important gateway for global creative talent.
Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin pc BFA Kevin Czopek
Fashion Meets Vanderbilt History and Technology
The evening went beyond a traditional fashion presentation, incorporating elements of American history, live entertainment and emerging technology.
With the United States approaching its 250th anniversary, a color guard representing the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy added a patriotic element to the evening. Singer Leslie Ann Lopez also delivered a special musical performance, further transforming the fashion presentation into a full-scale cultural event.
The choice of Vanderbilt Hall was particularly significant. More than a century after the Vanderbilt family played an important role in the history of Grand Central Terminal, Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin brought the family name back to the landmark as part of a contemporary celebration of fashion, entrepreneurship and innovation.
The presentation then took an extraordinary turn when historical Vanderbilt figures were brought into the modern era through holographic technology. Cornelius Vanderbilt, Alva Vanderbilt, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney and Consuelo Vanderbilt Balsan appeared as holograms created by AEXA Technology.
The innovative presentation connected the Vanderbilt family’s legacy with the future of fashion and technology, illustrating the evening’s broader theme of transforming heritage into a platform for new creative possibilities.
Click-to-Buy Technology Brings the Runway to Consumers
Technology was also central to the V&S Global Studio concept. The presentation incorporated livestream e-commerce and Click-to-Buy technology, allowing the runway experience to extend beyond Grand Central Terminal and connect designers directly with consumers.
The integration of fashion and technology demonstrated how a traditional runway show can become an interactive shopping experience, creating opportunities for designers to reach audiences beyond the physical NYFW venue.
For Vanderbilt Costin and Seewald, the launch represents more than another New York Fashion Week presentation. V&S Global Studio is designed as a new model for connecting international designers with investment, media, technology and consumers while allowing them to maintain control of their creative identities.
And in a playful departure from another long-standing New York Fashion Week tradition, the Vanderbilt & Seewald Global Studio presentation had one more surprise: the show actually started on time.
The NYFW debut established V&S Global Studio as a platform where fashion, heritage, entrepreneurship and technology can converge with New York serving as the stage for the next generation of international fashion stories.