A Debut Before a Packed Vanderbilt Hall
Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin and Michaela Seewald brought their new global fashion partnership to life in spectacular fashion at Grand Central Terminal, as Vanderbilt & Seewald Global Studio made its New York Fashion Week debut before a packed Vanderbilt Hall.
The presentation marked the first major public showcase for the venture, co-founded by Vanderbilt Costin, founder and CEO of House of Vanderbilt and co-founder of SohoMuse, and Seewald, founder and CEO of V24 Media. Together, the two entrepreneurs built V&S Global Studio around an ambitious proposition: bringing investment, strategic guidance, media, technology, and direct-to-consumer commerce together to help international designers build their presence in the U.S. and global markets while maintaining ownership, creative control, and brand identity.
Three International Voices on the Runway
With Mario Lopez serving as emcee, the runway showcased three distinctive international designers: Mexican designer Lorena Saravia, Stockholm-based Dustin Glickman of DSTN, and Paris couturier Nabil Hayari of Hayari Paris. Their participation reflected the global outlook at the heart of the Vanderbilt-Seewald partnership and its goal of using New York as a gateway for international creative talent.
The trio was selected to represent different aesthetics and markets, from Saravia’s blend of Mexican craftsmanship and modern luxury to DSTN’s “dark cowboy” sensibility and Hayari’s refined Parisian couture.
Where Fashion Meets History
Vanderbilt Costin and Seewald used their debut to create an evening where fashion intersected with entertainment, American history, and emerging technology. As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, a color guard representing the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy brought a patriotic dimension to Vanderbilt Hall, while Leslie Ann Lopez delivered a special musical performance.
The setting added another layer to the story. More than a century after the Vanderbilt family helped shape Grand Central Terminal, Vanderbilt Costin returned the family name to the landmark, this time alongside Seewald and a new generation of designers, entrepreneurs, and technology innovators.
The Vanderbilts, Reimagined
Past and present collided dramatically as Cornelius Vanderbilt, Alva Vanderbilt, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, and Consuelo Vanderbilt Balsan were brought to life as holograms by AEXA Technology, placing figures from Vanderbilt history within a 21st-century fashion presentation.
Rather than treating heritage as mere nostalgia, the moment underscored one of the evening’s central themes: using an extraordinary American legacy as a platform for what comes next.
Technology at the Core
Technology is equally central to the founders’ vision. V&S Global Studio incorporated livestream e-commerce and Click-to-Buy technology, connecting the physical runway experience inside Vanderbilt Hall with consumers far beyond Grand Central. The technology demonstrated the venture’s intention to turn the excitement and immediacy of a live fashion show into direct consumer engagement and real commercial opportunity.
And for a show that set out to challenge fashion convention, Vanderbilt & Seewald Global Studio broke with one longstanding NYFW tradition from the very start: it actually began on time.
About V&S Global Studio
V&S Global Studio, co-founded by Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin, founder and CEO of House of Vanderbilt and co-founder of SohoMuse, and Michaela Seewald, founder and CEO of V24 Media, partners with select fashion designers to transform their creative excellence into global brand presence and commercial success.
V&S Global Studio provides designers with the capital, connections, and technology needed to scale on their own terms. Through investment, strategic guidance, and proprietary commerce tools such as Click-to-Buy that drive visibility, distribution, and direct-to-consumer engagement, V&S helps designers grow without sacrificing ownership, creative control, or brand integrity. For more information, visit vsglobalstudio.com.
About House of Vanderbilt
House of Vanderbilt is a modern family office and global platform founded by Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin, dedicated to legacy preservation, philanthropic impact, purpose-driven partnerships, and multi-generational influence. Rooted in one of America’s most historic lineages, the platform connects heritage with innovation across industries and continents. For more information, visit www.houseofvanderbilt.com
