NYFW Fall 2026 Standouts So Far

NYFW has kicked off this week, and what a time to be alive. Rachel Scott’s first outing as Creative Director for Proenza Schouler details a return to heritage fabrics and cuts, and a return to modesty with an updated outlook and power-clashing styling. Meanwhile, at Coach, Stuart Vevers’ vision for the forthcoming season melds the idea of nostalgia with immediate futurism; from Cali-inspired 70s varsity stylings to cool grey and steel tones and utilitarian jackets.

Hillary Taymour at Collina Strada leans further into the post-Victorian, literary gothic themes for her fall collection, proving that eccentricity is indeed very fashionable. Michael Kors and Carolina Herrera commit to the New York Woman – chic, on the go, and dressed for herself, in elevated staples, styled up with statement skirts and accessories.

Keep an eye out for more coverage from New York Fashion Week on MOLTN.

Tom Ford by Haider Ackermann, Spring Summer 2026 Campaign

Shot by Drew Vickers, the Tom Ford Spring Summer 2026 campaign is an ode to the art of seduction. Of the campaign, Creative Director, Haider Ackermann, says, “Seduction is the feeling I am exploring at TOM FORD. To seduce is to see as much as it is to be seen, to be both the subject and an object of desire. This campaign is an act of seduction, just like the show to which it is linked.”

“The photographic gaze is charged with desire: it draws close, lingers on surfaces, caresses satins, leathers, and skin, entices touch. The images feel nocturnal. The light of the flash, like moonlight, brings out the textures, the colours, the sheen, and the vertical silhouette. Fragility shows something dark underneath. The shots frame details and, occasionally, the whole figure, following the way the gaze moves around when desire bursts, exposing nobility in the characters that inhabit this vision.”

Pieter Mulier’s Appointment at Versace, and Dario Vitale’s (Only) Campaign

Only after the clothes left the runway did the appreciation for Dario Vitale’s collection for Versace gain momentum. This week saw two major announcements from the Italian fashion house: the release of Dario Vitale’s first (and only) campaign for Versace, and the appointment of Pieter Mulier (formerly creative director of Alaïa) at the house. The campaign, shot by three storied photographers: Tania Franco Klein, Frank Lebon, and Steven Meisel, coalesce to stir a feeling and attitude—a way of being, unlocking the gesture and sensibility inherent in the collection. Unlocking a whole new dimension of allure, Vitale’s time at Versace will go down in history. What a time to be alive.

A New Exhibition at the NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery Explores How Baghdad Rewrote Modern Art

The NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) Art Gallery presents All Manner of Experiments: Legacies of the Baghdad Modern Art Group, which has opened to the public this week, and will be on view through June 7. The exhibition is curated by renowned art historian, Senior Investigator at al Mawrid Arab Center for the Study of Art, and faculty at NYU Abu Dhabi, Nada Shabout. This landmark exhibition traces how Iraqi artists forged a modern visual language from Baghdad during a pivotal era of nation building and decolonization.

Founded in 1951 by artists Jewad Selim (1919–1961) and Shakir Hassan Al Said (1925–2004), the Baghdad Modern Art Group emerged as Iraq grappled with the cultural and political aftermath of colonial rule. The Group sought new ways to reflect contemporary life, drawing on abstraction, calligraphy, figuration, and references to Iraq’s ancient civilizations to articulate a distinctly modern and local aesthetic.

“This exhibition speaks to the core mission of the NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery as a university museum: to develop and map crucial moments in art history that have yet to be fully studied. Nada Shabout’s curatorial approach treats the exhibition as a form of investigation and knowledge-production, bringing archives to life and laying the groundwork for future scholarship,” says Executive Director of the Art Gallery and Chief Curator at NYU Abu Dhabi Maya Allison.

F1 Race-Weekend at Yas Island Abu Dhabi’s Newest Concert Lineup

The highly anticipated Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2026 tickets are now available for purchase, and the initial headliners for the after-race concerts have been unveiled.

Scheduled as the season finale, this event is a key date in the UAE's calendar. The race weekend is set to take place from Thursday, December 3, through Sunday, December 6. It has been confirmed that Lewis Capaldi and Zara Larson will perform on the first evening of the concerts

More artists performing during race-weekend will be announced in due course.

Moonglaze by Yara AlNamlah is Coming to Sephora Middle East

Saudi beauty brand Moonglaze, founded by entrepreneur and makeup artist Yara Alnamlah, is set for a significant retail expansion with its launch into Sephora stores. Announced on Friday, February 6, the brand will first enter Sephora Saudi Arabia before rolling out to other locations across the GCC.

While the exact launch dates for the broader GCC market, including the UAE, are still pending, the move is already being celebrated as a historic milestone, making Moonglaze the first-ever Saudi brand to be featured in the global beauty retailer.

Alnamlah, a well-known influencer, has built a following around her signature dewy and fresh skin makeup style, a philosophy reflected in the Moonglaze product line, which includes highlighters and blush sticks. The brand's identity is also deeply rooted in Arab culture; its name, derived from the Arabic word "Gamar," which means "moon," is a common and beautiful term of affection used to describe someone's beauty.

The Art of Storytelling: Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl

Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime performance transcended entertainment, offering a profound lesson in cultural storytelling and belonging. The Puerto Rican superstar’s set transformed the field into a vibrant homage to his homeland and the broader Americas, a narrative choice charged with purpose.

He opened the performance in a scene evoking a sugarcane field, an immediate nod to Puerto Rico’s agricultural history, surrounded by symbols like piragua (shaved ice) stands and domino tables. This wasn't a mere spectacle; it was a deliberate act of cultural grounding, presenting his identity without compromise.

The performance's greatest impact, however, lay in its political statement. By singing entirely in Spanish and culminating the set with a powerful "God bless America," followed by a list of countries spanning the entire continent, Bad Bunny reframed the meaning of "America" as an inclusive, continent-wide community. This bold move, which came amid political scrutiny, resonated deeply across Latino communities, turning the world's biggest stage into a moment of collective pride, cultural visibility, and an insistent claim on American identity in the broadest sense.