For SS26, Diotima transported us to Carnival. Grounded in the legendary Caribbean celebration, Rachel Scott not only paid homage to her own heritage – so central to her brand – but also injected a much-needed burst of joy, celebration, and colour into New York Fashion Week. Fresh off being named the new creative director of Proenza Schouler, this collection feels like the clearest indication yet of how seamlessly she will step into her new role.

In the show notes, Scott wrote that Carnival was “born as a response to colonial domination, is an anti-imperialist act — culture that flourishes in the face of violent oppression. It is a radical practice of self-actualisation: music, dance, and dress conjuring freedom when none was granted.” Given the political and cultural nightmare that Americans are living through at the moment, Scott’s collection is a reprieve, with meaning.

Referencing the familiar characters seen at every Carnival celebration, Scott didn’t simply replicate them, she reimagined the exuberant costumes we’ve come to associate with the event. On her runway, fluorescent mesh fabrics became full-body looks, complete with hoods. Ostrich feathers appeared as fringing, adding a refined chicness to several outfits. Waistcoats curved to accentuate the bust, coats seemed to bloom with petals, and piping was dramatically oversized. The final look, an enveloping feathered dress, felt worthy of a couture runway.