Diotima SS26: Rachel Scott’s Carnival Collection Debuts at New York Fashion Week
At Diotima’s Spring/Summer 2026 womenswear show in Greenpoint, founder Rachel Scott turned to the Caribbean tradition of Carnival as a lens to interrogate colonial histories while reasserting cultural resilience.
The collection referenced archetypal Carnival characters such as Baby Doll and Dame Lorraine, reimagined through a contemporary wardrobe. Instead of literal costume, Scott delivered sharply wearable pieces: hooded mesh tops paired with layered chiffon skirts, sequinned chevron-finished bodysuits, and mini waistcoats styled with crepe knit skirts.
Technical mastery was evident in fluid draping and sculptural tailoring, most notably in asymmetrically layered crepe redingotes. The eveningwear section fused Scott’s couture instincts with Carnival codes, styled with J’Ouvert-inspired silver mud makeup. The finale — feathered gowns with lightweight petticoats — underlined Scott’s ability to translate cultural motifs into modern luxury.
Fresh off her CFDA Womenswear Designer of the Year award and recent appointment as Creative Director of Proenza Schouler, Jamaica-born Scott used Diotima’s platform to underscore her position as one of the most original and influential designers working in the Americas.
Images courtesy ©Launchmetrics/spotlight