For our September Issue cover shoot, we staged an unconventional beauty pageant
The Wallpaper* September 2026 Style Issue invites you to craft a new persona – an ode to an A/W 2026 season of shapeshifting looks. ‘For our annual digest of the A/W season, we’re drawing attention to the act of dressing and how we use clothing to create a persona, whether for purpose, pleasure or joy,’ wrote Bill Prince in his editor’s letter.
And, while our womenswear cover shoot saw model Aylah Peterson don a series of different personae for the lens of Antoine & Charlie, for our men’s cover shoot, we looked towards another act of transformation – the beauty pageant, albeit in unconventional style. Putting a cast of male models centre stage, photographer Steve Harnacke and Wallpaper* fashion & creative director Jason Hughes undid the usual froth and fantasy of the pageant for a series of spare and streamlined looks which pair denim with undone formalwear.
They spoke to the lean, narrowed line which ran through the season, from Dior to Prada. At the latter, Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons called the look, which comprised slim double-breasted outerwear and tailoring, ‘eloganted and precise’, while at Celine, creative director Michael Rider said that his streamlined overcoats were part of the house’s DNA. ‘I do think Celine is a place you go to find beautifully cut clothing, a slimmer silhouette,’ he said.
Explore the shoot below.
James wears jacket, £26,200; jeans, £875, both by Dolce & Gabbana
(Image credit: Photography by Steve Harnacke, fashion by Jason Hughes)
Mbaye wears jeans, £130, by Levi’s. Isaac wears jeans, £385, by Stefan Cooke. James wears jeans, £130, by Levi’s. Gregorio wears jeans, £255, by APC. Rupert wears jeans, £130, by Levi’s
(Image credit: Photography by Steve Harnacke, fashion by Jason Hughes)
Isaac wears jeans, £130, by Levi’s
(Image credit: Photography by Steve Harnacke, fashion by Jason Hughes)
James wears jacket and waistcoat (part of suit), £6,200, by Brioni. Gregorio wears jacket, price on request, by Valentino
(Image credit: Photography by Steve Harnacke, fashion by Jason Hughes)
Mbaye wears coat, £3,300; trousers, £1,750, both by Prada
(Image credit: Photography by Steve Harnacke, fashion by Jason Hughes)
James wears trousers, £10,590, by Gucci
(Image credit: Photography by Steve Harnacke, fashion by Jason Hughes)
Gregorio wears jacket; trousers, both price on request, by Zegna
(Image credit: Photography by Steve Harnacke, fashion by Jason Hughes)
Mbaye wears top, price on request; jeans, £860, both by Dior
(Image credit: Photography by Steve Harnacke, fashion by Jason Hughes)
Isaac wears jacket, £3,180; trousers, £1,365, both by Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello
(Image credit: Photography by Steve Harnacke, fashion by Jason Hughes)
River wears jeans, £255, by APC
(Image credit: Photography by Steve Harnacke, fashion by Jason Hughes)
Isaac wears jacket, £1,450; waistcoat, £330, both by Emporio Armani. Jeans, £385, by Stefan Cooke. Nathan wears jacket, £720, by Favourbrook. Jeans, £130, by Levi’s. River wears jacket, £4,100; scarf, £850, both by Tom Ford. Jeans, £255, by APC. James wears jacket and waistcoat (part of suit), £6,200, by Brioni. Jeans, £130, by Levi’s. Gregorio wears jacket, price on request, by Valentino. Jeans, £130, by Levi’s
(Image credit: Photography by Steve Harnacke, fashion by Jason Hughes)
Nathan wears jacket; trousers, both price on request, by Jil Sander
(Image credit: Photography by Steve Harnacke, fashion by Jason Hughes)
Shop the story
Tom Ford
Silk-satin Scarf
Valentino Garavani
Single-Breasted Jacket
A version of this article appears in the September 2026 Style Issue of Wallpaper*, available now in print on newsstands, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today.
Models: James and Gregorio at Premier Model Management, Mbaye at W Mgmt, Isaac Welton Sylvestre at IMG, Rupert Guinness and Jack Dracula at Kult, River at Twelve Mgmt, Nathan Howell at Supa Model Management. Casting: Miro Raynov. Hair: Kachi Katsuya using Bumble & Bumble. Make-up: Josh Bart using Rhode. Set assistant: Archie Thomson. Hair assistant: In Hyeok. Make-up assistant: Molly Lynch. Fashion assistants: Lucy Proctor, Agnese Strode, Nathan Fox. Production assistant: Danielle Quigley.
