The Tamesis
“I just feel like now is not the time to overdress,” Melita Baumeister said by phone from Paris. Accessories, however, are another story entirely. The artistic designer showed off her second Nike shoe (see the first here) as she unveiled her Fall 2026 lookbook. This is a Pegasus model with black over neon yellow and an eye on the instep and inside the shoe. The motto “Run Like No One’s Watch” is printed on the sole. (Yes, she realizes the irony that neon sneakers draw attention.)
Although Baumeister said she “thought a lot about women running around the city, living their lives, and sneakers being a supportive element,” this felt like a foot-first collection. Not only were the eyes on the sneakers (the designer’s own) used as the collection’s print, but Baumeister’s idea was that the sneakers remained informal. As such, they can help transform the brand’s dramatic bulbous designs into something casual rather than dressy.
Furry accessories aside, looks like a knitted cardigan jacket paired with trousers with inverted pleats in the center of the leg, or a reverse-turned shirt and pleated skirt paired with trousers, as well as a leather biker with a ruffled hem, are MB’s wardrobe staples. As always, the clothes are anything but ordinary. Baumeister used some new techniques to create the undulating volumes. One orients pleated and ribbed material in opposite directions; the other weaves knitted fabric into sculptural dresses. Baumeister’s take on this season’s spiral cut appears on the collection’s sportiest look (it would be nice to see more of these in the future) and is accomplished using zippers that allow the user to customize the fit and volume, resulting in a different call to action than the MB x Nike Pegasus sneakers.
