Saul Nash’s Fall Winter 2026 collection Masquerade delivered a powerful meditation on identity, transformation, and the performative nature of dress. Central to this vision was a casting that reflected the collection’s global perspective and commitment to diverse representation.
The Casting
Troy Fearn assembled a lineup of 19 models whose varied backgrounds and physicalities embodied Nash’s exploration of multiple selves. The roster included Adebayo Quadri, Ademola Onifade, Akeem Koya, Bai, Bilal Bourhattas, Filippo Pulze, Habib Masovic, Indiana Van’t Slot, Junyeong Baek, Li Cheng Yuan, Max Tate, Melwin Grondin, Neo Gregori, Om Sonawane, SJ, Taehyun Jeon, Viknes Waren, Zaki Labbachri, and Zhaoyi Fan.
The casting spanned continents and cultures, from Lagos to Seoul, Milan to Amsterdam, reinforcing the collection’s central thesis: that identity is fluid, layered, and constantly in motion.
The Collection in Motion
Titled Masquerade, the collection draws from Nash’s attendance at Notting Hill Carnival and subsequent research into Venetian masquerade traditions. The British-Caribbean designer translates these references into a new paradigm of power dressing, where the interplay between tailoring formality and casual ease permits the wearer to express multiple identities.
The presentation opened with Nash’s conceptual centerpiece: a technical tracksuit printed with a suit silhouette. This piece, born from the designer’s experience of feeling underdressed at formal events, functions as both homage to the brand’s sportswear origins and a subversion of dress codes.
Models navigated garments that demanded movement. Suit jackets with integrated hoods and detachable sleeves. Shirts traced with lines inspired by Ben Magid Rabinovitch’s 1931 photograph Tamaris in “Dirge”, crafted from stretch cotton. A pinstriped all-in-one jumpsuit in merino stretch wool, cut wide and warped on the body, mimicked masquerade costume movement as models walked.
Outerwear and Texture
The lineup showcased Nash’s most versatile outerwear offering to date. Military-inspired drill jackets with transformable collars wearable three ways. Cropped trench coats employing the designer’s kinetic cutting technique. Padded jackets with elongated ribbed knit sleeves and exaggerated hemlines, ultra-lightweight through PRIMALOFT® Gold insulation.
Within a palette of greens, navys, and earthy browns, models presented a symphony of textures: silky utility trousers in Viscose LENZING™ paired with crinkled recycled nylon zip-ups, furry mohair blazers, and nipple-exposing cardigans in alpaca and merino wool blends.
The Body Transformed
Nash’s exploration of daily masks manifested in compression tops printed with hazy body motifs. Equipped with funnel necks, these pieces created the illusion of wearing another person’s silhouette. An overdyed raw denim twinset, lasered with a chiselled physique kissed by fabric waves, referenced ancient statues of the male form.
Debut Footwear
Models debuted the Julien Boot, Nash’s first footwear creation. The high-top sports shoe features a mesh upper, leather base, velcro fastening, and a gum sole intentionally broken to permit movement.
SLNSH x lululemon Preview
The presentation also previewed SLNSH Spring 2026, the fourth installment of Nash’s collaboration with lululemon. Key pieces included a reimagined Define transformable Jacket, organic cotton barrel trousers, and a dual-length transformable waterproof jacket. The collection launches April 14, 2026.
About Saul Nash
The North East London-raised designer established his eponymous brand in 2018. His practice oscillates between fashion and dance, with genderless sportswear and redefined athleisure codes central to the label’s DNA. Nash received both the 2022 International Woolmark Prize and Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design.
Discover the complete the collection:
Creative Direction: Saul Nash | Casting: Troy Fearn | Styling: Reuben Esser | Hair: Richard Phillipart | Make-Up: Mandy Gakhal for AOFMPro using Dermalogica | Music: Azekel | Shoes: Manolo Blahnik | Eyewear: Cubitts
Images courtesy of Saul Nash
