Planet Fashion TV kicked off New York Fashion Week 2026 with DRIVEN BY DESIGN with a Bold Collision of Fashion, Automotive and Architectural Design. César Galindo and Ema Savahl Take the Runway at BMW of Long Island City for an Immersive Fashion Experience Where Design, Performance and Innovation Meet.
NEW YORK – September 09, 2026 – Fashion, automotive design, and architecture converged in spectacular fashion as Planet Fashion TV kicked off New York Fashion Week 2026 with DRIVEN BY DESIGN, an immersive runway presentation held at the newly opened BMW of Long Island City.
Bringing together the visionary designs of celebrated New York designer César Galindo and acclaimed designer and artist Ema Savahl, the September 9 event transformed BMW’s newest flagship destination into an unconventional runway, showcasing the powerful connection between fashion, craftsmanship, architecture, performance, and luxury. The event marked the inaugural event at BMW of Long Island City, where the expansive four-story, 180,000-square-foot facility provided a dramatic backdrop for the evening’s fashion presentation. The building’s expansive showroom, contemporary architecture, and striking 40-foot glass façade created an immersive environment where fashion and automotive design could exist side by side.
Inside the architectural showpiece, Galindo and Savahl presented collections that reflected two distinct approaches to contemporary fashion while sharing a common appreciation for artistry, innovation, and statement-making design. A Mexican-American fashion powerhouse with more than 35 years in the industry, César Galindo brought his signature blend of fearless design, craftsmanship, and unexpected glamour to the runway.
Ema Savahl brought her own highly recognizable artistic perspective to the presentation, further expanding the evening’s celebration of fashion as a form of visual expression. Known for her distinctive approach to design and art, Savahl’s work added another layer of creativity and individuality to a runway built around the idea that great design transcends category. Together, the designers demonstrated the breadth of contemporary fashion, with their collections creating a dynamic dialogue between artistry, craftsmanship, individuality, and innovation.
WHERE FASHION MEETS PERFORMANCE, The choice of BMW of Long Island City as the setting for the event was central to the experience. Completed in early 2026, the state-of-the-art BMW flagship transformed a former car wash and repair site on Queens Boulevard into a dramatic glass-and-light destination. The facility’s sweeping glass architecture and modern, open-concept design provided a dramatic, high-energy environment that perfectly mirrored the bold, innovative spirit of the collections on display.
The building’s architectural vision, developed by TACA, the international architecture and construction firm behind the project, provided an unexpected but natural setting for a fashion runway. The shared language between automotive and fashion design became the evening’s defining theme: precision, performance, craftsmanship, innovation, and the pursuit of a powerful visual statement.
For Planet Fashion TV Founder, CEO, and Executive Producer Celia Evans, that intersection was exactly what made the location so compelling. “This space was designed around movement, precision, performance, and luxury, which made it an incredible setting for fashion,” says Evans. “DRIVEN BY DESIGN was about bringing together creative worlds that understand the importance of design and the power of making a statement. Seeing César and Ema’s work come to life inside BMW of Long Island City was exactly the kind of unexpected New York Fashion Week experience we wanted to create.”
REIMAGINING THE FASHION PRESENTATION. With DRIVEN BY DESIGN, Planet Fashion TV reimagined the traditional fashion presentation by moving the runway outside of a conventional fashion venue and into an environment where fashion, architecture, and automotive design could influence one another. The result was an evening that celebrated New York’s creative energy while highlighting the versatility and innovation of two designers with distinctly individual points of view.
By pairing Galindo and Savahl with one of New York City’s newest architectural and automotive destinations, Planet Fashion TV created a fashion experience that was as much about the environment as it was the clothing—a celebration of design in all its forms. DRIVEN BY DESIGN offered a fitting opening statement for New York Fashion Week 2026: bold, unexpected, and driven by the belief that the most exciting fashion moments happen when creative disciplines collide.
ABOUT PLANET FASHION TV. Planet Fashion TV is a fashion-focused media and production platform dedicated to showcasing designers, brands, creatives, and the evolving global fashion industry. Through original programming, live events, runway presentations, and fashion storytelling, Planet Fashion TV creates opportunities for designers and creative voices to connect with audiences and industry leaders around the world. Celia Evans, Founder, CEO, and Executive Producer of Planet Fashion TV, brings her experience in fashion media, production, and event creation to developing experiences that place designers and their creative vision at the center of the story.
All images by the brand. PR Agency Riviere Agency. Photo Credit: BMW Long Island City X Planet Fashion TV. Photographer: Mark Gunter for Getty Images.