All of the biggest music headlines in one place and playlist. Updated live throughout the week.

Action Bronson’s Wheel of Fortune Album Announcement

After announcing his new album Planet Frog via socials last week, Action Bronson took the album announcement to another level – with the help of Ryan Seacrest and Vanna White.

Stone Island Brings Dave's Personal Archive to New York City

After debuting its Selected Works: Archival Pieces From The Collection Of Dave 2016 – 2026 exhibition in London for the start of Dave's The Boy Who Played The Harp Tour, Stone Island is bringing the installation to New York City for the final stops of the run. Encased in a freestanding Plexiglass structure, the exhibit spotlights the custom on-stage pieces Stone Island created for the tour, as well as personal pieces from the rapper's closet. Stop by the Stone Island Store in SoHo through the end of the weekend to see it. Read the full story here.

Kenny Mason Fires Up BULLDAWG With FearDorian-Produced Focus Track, "BOUNCE WIT ME"

Yet another Summer 2026 hip hop drop we're highly anticipating. Kenny Mason's third studio album BULLDAWG is just under two weeks away now – unconventionally, the project will drop on a Tuesday – and the alternative-inspired rapper has just presented the project's lead single. Dubbed "BOUNCE WIT ME," the cut continues to establish the rapper's inability to be boxed into just one sound, equipped with production from FearDorian. BULLDAWG drops on May 12th.

Edward Skeletrix’s New Album Features MOWALOLA and XXXTentacion

Rounding out at a lengthy 26 tracks bolstered by a wide range of featured artists is Edward Skeletrix’s third studio album, Body of Work. Preceded by a handful of solo singles, the just-under-an-hour-long project revels in an expansive collection of contributors. MOWALOLA contributes to “Art Is Sucking The Life Out Of Me Ok” and North West on “Let’s Have Some Fun.” Having produced a lot for XXXTentacion under his Cight producer alias, it’s no surprise a posthumous X track finds its way onto the final tracklist as well.

After Her Brent Faiyaz Collab, Ama Ponders "So…"

Following up on her recent collaboration with Brent Faiyaz, Ama has dropped another new single ahead of her summer run of shows as Ella Mai’s supporting act. The new single is called “So…” and hears Ama singing from the male’s POV, reflecting on the downfall of a relationship from his eyes. Ama’s sister, Mahalia, assists with the music video direction.

PlaqueBoyMax Expands His Scope on Crash Dummy

Marking PlaqueBoyMax's first project of 2026 is Crash Dummy. The six-track EP hears the streamer expand his sonic scope a bit, pivoting into different lanes of production than on projects past.

LUCKI Delivers a Dr*gs R Bad Prelude, Daysb4bad*

Earlier this week, LUCKI took to socials to pose the question of a potential EP dubbed Daysb4bad*. The next day, he dropped the cover art. Today, the EP is here, and features "BAD Influence Freestyle 2 (FOR THE LOVE)," "BAD Influence 2" – his remix of Future's "MADE MY H*E FAINT" – and a Lil Yachty assist on "Sex Mula / Pete." Drugs R Bad is still set to drop on May 15.

Ariana Grande Announces Eighth Studio Album, petal

Ever since Ariana Grande started sharing photos of herself in the studio on Instagram, fans knew that she was up to something – and we could only hope it wasn’t just another R.E.M. Beauty drop. Earlier this week, the songstress confirmed that it’s far from a product drop, and her eighth studio album, petal, is en route for Summer 2026. Described in a press release as “something that is full of life and growing through the cracks of something cold and hard and challenging,” petal is due out on July 31.

Durand Bernarr’s New Album Features Big Sean, BJ The Chicago Kid, James Fauntleroy, Khalid, and Vic Mensa

For the first release since his Grammy win for Best Progressive R&B Album, Durand Bernarr has done it again. On BERNARR, he gathers a lineup of R&B greats for lyrical and production contributions. Big Sean, BJ The Chicago Kid, James Fauntleroy, Khalid, and Vic Mensa all assist throughout the tracklist, along with songwriting legend Sevyn Streeter. Production comes from a rolodex of hip hip and R&B stars and up-and-comers, ranging from Raphael Saadiq to Miguel to Leven Kali.

Sagan Lockhart Moved Into Shangri-La With The Alchemist and Freddie Gibbs for Alfredo 2. He Made a Film. And Told Us About It.

Sagan Lockhart just may as well have been the third collaborator on Alfredo 2. The photographer moved into Rick Rubin’s Shangri-La studio in Southern California with Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist for the recording sessions, aiming to capture as much footage of the process as possible. Lockhart sat down with us to share more about Shangri-La, which marks his debut film, and why he views it as more than just a behind-the-scenes look at the album creation, but rather rooted in the theme of “boundless creativity” at work. Read the full story here.

North West Drops Debut EP

North West's formal introduction as a solo musician has materialized. N0rth4evr spans six high-octane tracks, hearing West experiment with different lanes of rage rap and begin to find her sound.

Isaiah Rashad Returns With an Instant Classic: IT'S BEEN AWFUL Is Here

The moment we've all been waiting for. Isaiah Rashad has lifted the veil on his fourth studio album – and first in five years – IT'S BEEN AWFUL. The 16-track offering was worth every minute of the wait. Features come from SZA, Dominic Fike, and Julian Sintonia, a TDE affiliate who also contributed ample production to the project as well. Read more here.

Our Don Toliver Cover Story: "Don Toliver Has Tunnel Vision"

This week, we unveiled Don Toliver as our third and final cover star for Hypebeast Magazine #37: The Architects Issue. Read the full story here.

Mariah The Scientist Hops on Chxrry's "Bottles & Lights"

The ultimate hot girl summer anthem, brought to you by none other than Chxrry and Mariah the Scientist.

JPEGMAFIA Is Going on Tour With redveil and matt proxy

Peggy pulled out all the stops for the album announcement, also revealing that he's hitting the road this summer on The Experimental Rap Tour. The 20-date North American run kicks off on September 22 in Spokane, Washington, and comes equipped with support from seasoned collaborator redveil and matt proxy.

duendita’s existential thottie Is Overly Relatable

10K’s duendita has delivered on just what might be her most relatable release yet. Billed as existential thottie, the songstress’ latest LP was written and produced between New York City and Berlin, and makes reference to moments such as: “breakups, crying in the club, emotional pain that never leaves, really hot and safe sex, birth control, fights in my hetero ass situationship, my time navigating the state mental health system… and ending with a promise that I will give healing my all.”

Lelo Announces Mastiff EP

On the heels of last week's “Yoppenheimer” remix with Joey Bada$$, Lelo is in the lab once again. The Detroit rapper revealed that he’s got an EP coming out on May 5th, entitled Mastiff. A tracklist has yet to be revealed.

North West’s Merch Capsule Spans the Entire Color Spectrum

Ahead of N0rth4evr’s drop, North lifted the veil on the EP’s accompanying merch suite, which spans the full range of hues. Including apparel, accessories, and vinyl, the drop’s hoodies and tees feature the cover art and tracklist, the lettering landing in shades of blue, pink, purple, red, yellow, green, and white. Vinyls take a similar color palette, while the punk-inspired accessories – like a key necklace and studded wrist cuff – take to an all-black colorway.

The First Single From Experimental Rap Has Landed

Dubbed "babygirl," Peggy was quick to drop off the lead single from his imminent new project. The high-octane cut is a classic JPEG offering, fusing rap, rock, and punk, and paired with a cinematic music video.

Little Simz Is Dropping an EP Next Week

Little Simz is staying booked and busy. Less than a year off her latest longform opus, Lotus, and fresh off a packed few months of fashion projects, the UK rapper has announced a new EP set to drop in just eight days. Due out May 8th is Simz's SUGAR GIRL , her first formal project of 2026. Other details – like a tracklist, features, or cover art – are still under wraps.

JPEGMAFIA Announces Experimental Rap Album

We're so back – Peggy is dropping experimental rap. Or should we say, Experimental Rap, as it's actually the title of his next studio album. Described by a press release as "both a display of power and a gauntlet thrown to the industry," Experimental Rap marks JPEGMAFIA's first studio album since 2024's I Lay Down My Life For You. "The era-defining magnum opus is a masterclass in left-field innovation, blending rap, punk, rock, industrial and gospel music with his signature 'no-rules” production and sharp lyricism," continues the press release. Expect Experimental Rap to drop everywhere on May 21.

Jadakiss Flexes Air Jordan 3 WMNS "Orange Citrus" Courtside

Perfect for the Knicks.

Isaiah Rashad Ramps Up Final Stages of IT'S BEEN AWFUL Rollout

We're in the final hours of Isaiah Rashad's IT'S BEEN AWFUL album rollout, with just a few hours left until the rapper's third studio project drops on streaming. Zay has stayed busy this week, though, having shared both "EPISODE 3" of his DJ Sonny Roshi TV series, along with a new freestyle that he delivered due to the third episode's initial delay in dropping.

Max B Is Headlining MIKE’s Young World Festival – Along With MIKE Himself

After its abrupt cancellation last year, MIKE’s completely free, all-ages Young World Festival is returning to Brooklyn’s Herbert Von King Park on July 11, and this week, the two headlining acts were revealed: Max B and MIKE. New York’s Old Guard and New Guard take the stage among a soon-to-be-revealed lineup of other acts, including the stage debut of MIKE’s Band of the Century group that he performed with for his Tiny Desk Concert.

Daniela Lalita Returns with Mura Masa Collab Cut and Self-Directed Video

For the first time in four years, Daniela Lalita has dropped new music. The Peruvian, NYC-based musician has presented her first sonic offering since the release of her Trececerotres LP in 2022, returning in full effect with “Tiroteo,” complemented by a Mura Masa contribution and a self-directed video. Lalita’s main source of inspiration? Caterpillars. “I took inspiration from the way caterpillars liquefy inside their cocoon, turning into a nutrient-rich soup through digestive enzymes that break down their own tissue to rebuild into an entirely different insect,” she said in a press release. Iconic.

Vince Staples’ Official Album Announcement

After dropping off “Blackberry Marmalade” onto DSPs, Staples responded to the “CRYBABY” internet discourse – confirming that the red baseball hat in the music video did, in fact, confirm his next studio album and its release date. In the words of Staples himself, CRY BABY is confirmed to drop everywhere on June 5.

Also, in the words of Vince himself: "As the world burns, I have decided to release this album. Thanks for listening."​​ Read more here.

Edward Skeletrix and North West’s “Let’s Have Fun” Video Features our Favorite Underground Cameos

North has really stayed busy this week, showing out as a featured artist on one of the lead singles lifted from Edward Skeletrix’s new album, Body of Work. The video though is what takes the cake for this one, featuring a compilation of cameos from our favorite underground artists, including Sophia Stel, Feng, Baby Osama, and jackzebra.

North West’s Debut EP Loading…

North West has been serious about getting into her music bag. After stacking a selection of solid co-signs and production collaborations from the entire hip-hop spectrum – ranging from Ice Spice to Che, and FKA Twigs to skaiwater  –West is ready to make her first longform move. With her first solo single, “PIERCING ON MY HAND,” almost three months old now, the 12-year-old is taking it to the next level with her first-ever EP. Entitled N0rth4evr, the project is slated to drop this Friday, May 1, and spans six new tracks – “PIERCING ON MY HAND” not included. West produced all of it herself.

The Styling In Lady Gaga and Doechii’s “Runway” Video Is Some of the Best We’ve Ever Seen

It was only right that two of the best-dressed musicians of the modern era handle the lead single for The Devil Wears Prada 2. Doechii and Lady Gaga’s “Runway” delivered on every single expectation – sonically alone. Now, the visual is here, and it only makes us love the track even more, in which the duo runs through countless designer outfits.

Kith’s $1,600 Fender Guitar

Under its Kith Records creative umbrella, Kith presented the latest installation in its partnership with Fender: a custom Limited Player Stratocaster. The guitar runs for $1,600 USD. Read the full story here.

Vince Staples Readies Return

About two weeks back, Vince Staples sent out an email blast to fans updating them on his new private Discord server, creating the channel as a way to “improve the fan experience.” He didn’t share too much else in that initial message, aside from the ominous: “Stay tuned, because there will be both hijinks and shenanigans…. I will be back sooner than you think.”

And indeed he was. Over the weekend, the rapper took to Instagram to share his first-ever studio single since he dropped Dark Times in May of 2024. Uploaded to streaming earlier this week, “Blackberry Marmalade” harkens back to Staples’ old sound, leaning into a guitar-heavy beat, and premiered alongside a striking Bradley J. Calder-co-directed music video.

Fans clocked a “CRYBABY” red cap in the visual – resting on Staples’ car dashboard for all of thirty seconds at the start of the video – with “June 5th” etched on the side.

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SUMMARY

• Nike crafts an ultra-limited 2-of-2 Dunk Low to celebrate Cadillac Formula 1 Team’s inaugural home race
• The design mirrors the team’s Miami Grand Prix livery featuring a "Stars and Stripes" motif in signature black and white
• Exclusive pairs were gifted solely to team owners Dan and Cassidy Towriss with no plans for a public retail drop

The Cadillac Formula 1 Team x Nike custom Dunk Low is the ultimate manifestation of "Friends & Family" exclusivity, surfacing just in time for the 2026 Miami Grand Prix. Created to mark the team's historic first race on home soil, the collaboration yields only two pairs in existence, cementing a physical artifact for the dawn of a new American era in Formula 1.

Revealed alongside the team’s official Miami GP livery, this Nike custom acts as a footwear extension of the race car’s visual identity. The aesthetic is anchored in Cadillac’s high-contrast black and white color palette, providing a sharp backdrop for a patriotically charged "Stars and Stripes" motif. Most notably, the design incorporates 50 stars across the pair — one for each American state — honoring the team’s domestic roots.

Beyond the colorway, the shoes serve as a historical record for the program. The official date that the Cadillac Formula 1 Team was formally established as an F1 entrant is pressed directly into the material, ensuring the milestone is literally embedded in the craft. While the silhouette serves as a masterclass in custom storytelling, it remains strictly off-limits to the public. Gifted exclusively to team owners Dan and Cassidy Towriss, these will likely remain behind glass or on the feet of the paddock’s inner circle, making them one of the rarest Nike motorsport specimens in recent memory.

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Summary

• Star Wars: Galactic Racer is officially launching across major digital gaming platforms
• The title is explicitly engineered for strict hardware integration across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox consoles
• The highly specified vehicular experience is currently slated for a global release on October 6

Fuse Games’ Star Wars: Galactic Racer has received an official release date.

The architectural framework of this release centers strictly on its multi-platform functionality. Designed to operate across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox consoles, the title prioritizes seamless hardware integration to support its core high-speed mechanics. By targeting these specific systems, the development ensures that the foundational gameplay specifications are optimized for high-fidelity, current-generation performance.

Star Wars: Galactic Racer is a high-stakes reinvention of racing born in the lawless Outer Rim. With the Empire gone and the galaxy rebuilding, The Galactic League is created: an underground, unsanctioned circuit where syndicates bankroll chaos and champions are forged,” the game’s description reads.

The cross-platform rollout is explicitly engineered to maximize the processing power of modern consoles and PC setups, translating the established racing mechanics into a purely technical, spec-driven digital environment.

Star Wars: Galactic Racer drops October 6 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox.

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Summary

• Spotify is officially introducing a new verification system to distinguish human artists from algorithmic noise
• The green checkmark serves as a direct visual filter against the massive influx of AI-generated tracks
• The initiative redefines commercial visibility by firmly prioritizing authentic human creators

Spotify's "Verified by Spotify" badge is officially entering the ecosystem, establishing a clear metric for human authenticity on the platform.

For the past few years, the music industry has been fighting a rapidly escalating war against AI-generated audio and algorithmic "slop." Historically, the barrier to entry for digital distribution was relatively low, allowing a flood of machine-optimized, synthetic personas to saturate major streaming platforms and dilute the visibility of genuine, emerging artists. The ongoing conversation surrounding this cultural pivot has dominated the music landscape, highlighting how the influx of artificial tracks fundamentally disrupted traditional curation and organic discovery. Now, Spotify is forcefully responding to the crisis.

By introducing the "Verified by Spotify" badge, the streaming giant is effectively redefining what constitutes a legitimate musical act. The green checkmark operates as more than just a backend threshold — which relies on specific structural criteria like a sustained 10K monthly listeners and off-platform social integration — it functions as a vital cultural indicator. In a digital landscape increasingly overrun by artificial noise, the platform is utilizing this visual filter to protect the foundational footprint of genuine human artistry, ensuring that authentic creators remain front and center in the algorithmic hierarchy.

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Summary

• WACK MARIA is releasing a new range of Hawaiian shirts featuring the iconic artwork of Jean-Michel Basquiat
• The collaborative garment is constructed entirely from rayon for a fluid and lightweight drape
• The piece launches via the brand's online store in May with worldwide shipping available

WACKO MARIA and the Jean-Michel Basquiat estate are continuing their prolific partnership with the release of a collaborative SS26 collection.

This latest offering grounds that heavy cultural legacy in premium physical details. The short-sleeve button-up is cut strictly from 100% rayon and sees the late artist’s Six Fifty, Rinso, and Notary as all-over prints. This specific material choice ensures the breezy, fluid drape that has become synonymous with the brand’s warm-weather shirting. The lightweight fabric serves as an ideal, breathable canvas for Basquiat's unmistakable visual language, seamlessly merging high-art heritage with elevated everyday construction.

WACKO MARIA has long been a champion of fusing rebellious art with subcultural Japanese tailoring, and its ongoing relationship with the Jean-Michel Basquiat estate remains one of its most defining endeavors. By transposing the late Brooklyn-born artist’s chaotic, neo-expressionist brilliance onto its signature silhouettes, the Tokyo-based imprint consistently bridges the gap between 1980s downtown New York and modern streetwear.

The Jean-Michel Basquiat x WACKO MARIA SS26 collaboration releases May via the WACKO MARIA ONLINE STORE.

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Summary

• James Cameron's iconic science fiction action sequel is returning to select theaters worldwide for an eight-week run
• The cinematic screenings will be available in original 35mm and 70mm prints alongside 4K and 3-D digital formats
• The release honors the film's groundbreaking special effects and Arnold Schwarzenegger's defining action performance

Rialto Pictures and STUDIOCANAL are officially bringing James Cameron's Terminator 2: Judgment Day back to the big screen.

For 35 years, the beloved film has stood as the architectural blueprint for the modern action blockbuster. Cementing Arnold Schwarzenegger’s career as a larger-than-life cinematic titan, the sequel set an unprecedented standard for science fiction, pairing groundbreaking computer-generated special effects with Brad Fiedel’s legendary electronic score. Now, drawing from its prestigious film collection, STUDIOCANAL and Rialto Pictures are translating that enduring cultural cachet back into physical theatrical spaces.

The 35th-anniversary re-release is strictly defined by its granular screening specifications. To capture the massive scale of the cyborg killer's mission to protect Sarah Connor and her son in present-day 1995 Los Angeles, the film will be available across four distinct exhibition formats. Audiences can experience the milestone picture in its original 35mm and 70mm prints, alongside updated 4K DCP and 3-D DCP digital restorations. This comprehensive exhibition strategy ensures that the hyper-kinetic spectacle can be viewed exactly as it was intended, bridging the gap between 1990s action lore and premium modern projection.

The 35th-anniversary screenings of Terminator 2: Judgment Day open in select theaters worldwide on May 22, including the IFC Center in New York, American Cinematheque in Los Angeles, and AFI Silver in DC, for a limited eight-week run.

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Name: Nike SB Dunk Low “Muni Fast Pass”
Colorway: Lightning/Denim Turquoise-Iron Grey-Wolf Grey
SKU: IR1888-700
MSRP: $130 USD
Release Date: Available now
Where to Buy: Nike

The Nike SB Dunk Low "Muni Fast Pass" is officially here in a striking "Lightning" and "Denim Turquoise" colorway, offering a strict exercise in high-contrast color-blocking.

The physical mechanics of this release are defined by its hyper-specific material distribution. The design executes a dramatic lengthwise split down the center of the silhouette. This structural choice sharply divides the bright teal and yellow sections, creating an asymmetrical visual across the shoe's upper.

Anchoring the declarative two-tone base, the profile is highlighted by a reflective silver Nike Swoosh. The metallic detailing provides a sharp functional contrast against the split-color exterior, while standard SB Dunk tooling completes the physical layout.

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There are very few modern-era, "hip hop"-identifying musical artists with an audience as wide-ranging as Isaiah Rashad.

After stepping away from the scene for almost five years, when Zay made his at-first ominous return to the spotlight at the end of March with a mere minute-and-a-half video clip with little to no details on a presumed new album, everyone was in the comments. From Top Dawg Entertainment labelmates like ScHoolboy Q, SiR, Alemeda, and Ab-Soul, to other artists across all genres – Jordan Ward, Lola Young, Eem Triplin, BLK ODYSSY, IDK, and 6LACK , to athletes Zeb Powell and Taylor Townshend, and even Hidden.NY and Apple Music, everyone had something to say about the sole sign of sonic life to come from the musician.

A few hours later, Zay formally lifted the veil on the official album announcement, revealing that his third studio album, IT'S BEEN AWFUL, would be dropping in just a few weeks.

Ever since that sheet of TDE's somewhat-leaked, somewhat-confirmed list of projects for 2024 began circulating on the internet back in January of 2024, fans have been fixated on the rapper's next release. While Zay dropping in 2024 turned out to be inaccurate (ditto 2025), the project – which marks the musician's most creatively singular yet sonically diverse – has finally transpired over two years later, and we can already say: it was worth every minute of the wait.

The rapper kept us fed in the interim, though, kicking the expedited album rollout – from start to finish, just about a month-long – into high gear right from the jump with an immersive narrative world. Spearheaded mostly by Omar Jones, IT'S BEEN AWFUL's visual identity has been aesthetically dialed in from Day 1, introducing listeners to the universe in which IT'S BEEN AWFUL exists, one cameo, song snippet, and captivating video foray at a time.

Across the project's 16-song lineup, SZA and Dominic Fike show out on "BOY IN RED" and "CAMERAS," respectively, with TDE affiliate producer Julian Sintonia contributing vocals to "DO I LOOK HIGH?," as well as offering his production hand to a myriad of the tracklist.

"It’s been a beautiful mess getting here," Zay wrote in a message shared to the press and later on to his personal socials, reflecting on what he feels to be his most introspective and true-to-self LP to date.

"Over the years, I’ve tried on a lot of hats and faces until I found the skin I was comfortable in. This album is a love letter to getting there; going beyond facades and falling in love with what kept me safe (da music) when I needed to pour myself into something for sanity. In doing so, I couldn’t escape my appreciation for you. The listener. The family. The vibers," he continued.

"From the people who helped put this together to the folks who jam my shit so much, y’all basically a street team (might be showing my age with that one), I love y’all. I pray the songs connect on that day you need ’em, like my favorite artists’ music would keep me together. Love y’all infinitely. ’Til the next time."

1. THE NEW SUBLIME
2. M.O.M
3. SAME SH!T
4. BOY IN RED (FEAT. SZA)
5. SUPAFICIAL
6. SCARED 2 LOOK DOWN
7. HAPPY HOUR
8. DO I LOOK HIGH? (FEAT. JULIAN SINTONIA)
9. AIN’T GIVIN’ UP
10. GTKY
11. CAMERAS (FEAT. DOMINIC FIKE)
12. ACT NORMAL
13. 10 STATES AWAY
14. NUTHIN 2 HIDE
15. SUPERPWRS
16. 719 FREESTYLE

And now. The moment we've all been waiting for. Give Isaiah Rashad's IT'S BEEN AWFUL a spin on all streaming services now.

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Summary

• American artists Arthur Jafa and Richard Prince will share the stage in Helter Skelter, an upcoming exhibition at Fondazione Prada’s Venetian venue, timed with the Venice Biennale
• The show brings the two artists together for the first time and will present over 50 works across photography, video, sculpture, installation and painting
• A collaborative zine reflecting the artists’s creative exchange will also be on view

When we talk about appropriation art, Arthur Jafa and Richard Prince are some of the first figures to come to mind. Known for their visual riffs, both artists get at the edges of American popular culture, embracing all of its myths and perversions.

With the Biennale around the corner, Fondazione Prada will present a duet showcase of work by Jafa and Prince at its Venetian palazzo. Curated by Nancy Spector, Helter Skelter is built around thematic overlaps and juxtapositions between both artists’s practice, such as authorship, race and image-making, threaded together by a shared concern for the contemporary visual landscape in all its good, bad and ugly.

Over fifty works spanning photography, video, sculpture, installation and painting will be on view, alongside a collaboratively produced zine reflecting the pair’s creative exchange during the show’s development.

“The term ‘Helter Skelter,’ reinvoked here as the title of this exhibition, contains all the complexity and messiness of its misuse in popular culture,” the foundation wrote. “It is an unruly readymade, selected by the artists to disrupt expectations, a perfect expression of the composite nature of this two-person show.”

While working in similar modes, Jafa and Prince map distinct landscapes within American culture: Jafa’s work explores the intricacies and complexities of the Black experience, namely within music and film, while Prince’s practice mines a critique and fascination of white masculinity and the darker underbelly of national identity.

"They are both image scavengers,” Spector explained. “Seeking no prior permission, they dip into the overflowing reservoir of visual culture — from the swamps of social media to the annals of print journalism, from advertising’s hall of mirrors to Hollywood’s celluloid archive — to take whatever they want and convert it into art by choice alone.”

“They are quintessentially American artists in subject and medium, literally enfolding objects and images from the empirical world into their works, subsuming them as readymades — Trojan horses, as it were, designed to disrupt established belief systems.”

Helter Skelter will be on view at Fondazione Prada in Venice from May 9 through November 23.

Fondazione Prada Venice
Calle Corner, 2215,
30135 Venezia VE,
Italy

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Summary

• Slawn and Opake’s “Super Toy” pop-up lands in Los Angeles on May 9 (6 p.m. – 10 p.m.) at Secret Walls, featuring 350 hand-painted skate decks created collaboratively over the past few months.
• The one-night opening also celebrates their joint Hypebeast Magazine Issue 37 cover, marking the latest chapter in their ongoing, boundary-pushing partnership.

London’s most disruptive pairing, Slawn and Opake, reunite once again, this time bringing their latest project stateside. Opening May 9 at Secret Walls with support from START Los Angeles and Spraying Bricks, “Super Toy” is a full-scale tribute to skate culture, anchored by 350 original, hand-painted skate decks created collaboratively over the past few months. "Slawn ran out of money and couldn't afford a skateboard anymore...so we painted 350," Opake tells Hypebeast. The show arrives shortly after the duo’s joint effort on one of three limited-edition covers for Hypebeast Magazine No. 37: The Architects Issue.

Their creative dialogue has been building in public for some time. During last year’s Miami Art Week, the two staged Heroes, Villains and Violence at The Art of Hip Hop, while earlier projects like TABOO pushed at the boundaries of taste, censorship, and control. That same project saw Opake step in as guest editor for The Big Issue, designing the cover and sitting down with Slawn for a conversation that cut through labels, faith, addiction, and the value of breaking rules altogether.

Speaking on their collaborative process for The Architects Issue, Opake frames it simply: “When it’s just me, I can spend hours obsessing over a single line. When I’m working with him, it becomes a conversation.” He continues, “He’ll do something that completely breaks the ‘rules’ I’ve set for myself. At first, I panic, but then I realize that’s where the energy is. The ‘mistakes’ are usually the most interesting part of the painting.”

“Super Toy” opens May 9, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., with a launch event that doubles as a celebration of Hypebeast Magazine Issue 37. Copies will be available on-site while supplies last. RSVP for the event here.

Secret Walls
 2270 / 2272 Venice Boulevard
 Los Angeles, CA 90006

May 9, 2026
 6 p.m. – 10 p.m.

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S.Pellegrino is officially kicking off its latest global push, and this one centers on something a little more personal: the dinner table. With its new “Dinner Dialogues” campaign, the brand is reframing its iconic bottle as more than just a staple—now a conversation starter, featuring printed prompts designed to move things past surface-level talk and into something more meaningful. Bottles with prompts like “What Italian habit should the world adopt?”, “What food takes you home?” and “Be right or be liked?” are just some of the questions designed to spark a great roundtable discussion.

At the center of it all is a headline-grabbing moment with an intimate, unscripted dinner with Lewis Hamilton and a few of his closest, longtime friends. No big production energy, no over-polished storytelling but just real conversations, shared memories and the kind of access you don’t usually get from someone that private. It’s a rare look at a different side of him.

The campaign also lands in real time at the Miami Grand Prix, where S.Pellegrino is bringing “Dinner Dialogues” off-screen with a series of IRL gatherings around the table throughout race weekend. The setting leans intimate by bringing together creatives, media and guests in a space built more for connection.

Beyond Miami, the rollout goes global. Limited-edition bottles are set to hit shelves worldwide, giving anyone a way to tap into the same idea at their own table.

For more information, visit the official S.Pellegrino website.

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For Jeff Koons fans looking to elevate their design game, Lexon’s got you covered. The French design house teamed up with the renowned artist for two functional art objects — the Balloon Dog Speaker and Lamp — reimagining the iconic pop sculptures introduced in the artist’s Celebration series.

The new Chromatic Collection brings a techno-skeletal cool to Koons’ signature figure, delivering a rich experience of light and sound in four new limited-edition colorways for 2026. An up from last year’s lineup, the current collection introduces vibrant metal accents, while staying true to its signature transparency.

If sculptural lighting is up your alley, the Balloon Dog Lamp brings on a futuristic luminescence, now in gold, blue, red and platinum editions. Equipped with a 9-color range, dynamic animations and effects the piece is geared up to set any mood. With the help of Lexon’s Easy Sync tech, the wireless piece can link up with other lamps, making for a perfect, synchronized ambiance.

If you’re more of an artful audiophile, the collaborative speaker makes for the perfect addition. Arriving in gold, blue, red and white, the piece trades the dog’s original metallic sheen for a clear shell to show off colorful hardware. A hi-fi delight for the eyes and ears, the piece adds a balanced 360° ambiance and major shelf appeal to any space.

“With the Chromatic Collection, we wanted to push the dialogue between art and design even further,” expressed Lexon’s CEO, Boris Brault, “adding color is a way to bring some emotion and joie de vivre to these special objects that live with you every day.”

The new Lexon x Jeff Koons pieces level up from last year’s editions, with new strides in material innovation, acoustic calibration and LED diffusion, for a satisfying harmony of finish, tone and texture.

Both priced at $800 USD, both pieces stand at around 11 inches tall and weigh in at 1 kilogram, arriving with a holographic certificate of authenticity and packaging, alongside the artist’s signature engraved on the front paw. The Jeff Koons x Lexon lamp and speaker is now globally available for pre-order via the brand’s site.

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The KEEN Jasper KM Lite has arrived with an American build that's both responsibly made and lightweight by design. First introduced in 2008 as the brand’s climbing-inspired outdoor sneaker, the Jasper now has a refreshed look that delivers sleek style without compromising on comfort or quality. Most noticeably, the uppers have been smoothed with discreet stitching while the heel counter is satisfyingly streamlined into the midsole. It’s a subtle shift, but one that quietly ushers the Jasper from trail staple to a pair that’s just as at home in the city as it is off-grid.

For men, the Jasper KM comes in three versatile colorways: Canteen/Black; Khaki/Birch; Black/Steel Grey, while for women, colorways include Granite Green/Black; Cameo Rose/Black; Plaza Taupe/Bitch; Brindle/Birch. Furthermore, the women’s model will be joined by a Mary Jane-inspired variant, the Jasper KM Lite MJ. The dynamic lineup provides options that expand how the silhouette can be worn, from day-to-day utility to more styled, expressive looks.

As a follow-up to the KEEN Made Classics collection unveiled in April, KEEN Made Originals arrives this May, dialing in on one of the brand’s most beloved silhouettes. With collaborative variants emerging from Engineered Garments, Hiking Patrol, 18 East and Gramicci in recent years, the Jasper has slowly but surely taken up a spot among gorpcore favourites, and it’s only getting better.

While KEEN has been producing pairs in the US via its Oregon factory since 2009, the footwear label recently made a conscious decision to move to a new facility in Kentucky, granting it more robust distribution capabilities and — more importantly — expanding its responsible production initiatives. It was the opening of this new Kentucky hub that planted the seed for KEEN Made, a new sneaker line offering consciously sourced materials and forward-thinking construction not only for greater durability, comfort, but also a lighter environmental impact. 

With thoughtful specs, the Jasper KM Lite is far more than meets the eye. Each model coming from the new series features Trampoleen cushioning underfoot, KEEN.FUSION technology binding the sole and upper without harmful chemicals, and materials recommended by the Better Cotton Initiative and gold-rated LWG-certified tanneries. Together, it’s a build that signals a more considered approach to how the shoe is made and how it feels on foot.

“Owning our own factories keeps us closer to what we love, consciously creating versatile footwear that lasts,” KEEN’s Senior VP of Product and Innovation, Scott Labbe, shared. “Here in our Kentucky factory, shoemaking is revived as an art form—by a community of local, talented workers dedicated to premium craftsmanship.”

As the centerpiece of the KEEN Made Originals collection, the Jasper KM Lite is set for release on May 1 at keenfootwear.com, KEEN Garages, and select retailers.

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The room felt like a snapshot of the entire continent’s bar culture in motion with bartenders, owners and lifers all in one place, trading stories as much as accolades. We attended this year’s unveiling of the North America’s 50 Best Bars list, held in a packed, high-energy setting that leaned equal parts industry reunion and global spotlight, Sip & Guzzle from New York took the top honor, cementing its place as the bar to beat right now. The night moved quickly with names called, Cointreau branded ceremonial red scarves (emblem for all the top 50 nominees) draped, applause echoing, but what lingered wasn’t just who won, but the shared understanding of how hard it is to even be in the conversation.

With Cointreau present as the official orange liqueur partner in the room and a name at the heart of mixology, the focus stayed on the people pushing food and drink culture forward. Because once the list is revealed, the real question hangs in the air on what actually makes a bar the best in North America? In chatting with some establishment owners and figures, we got a sense of the drive, the routines and the challenges to attain this worthwhile goal.

For Lewis Hart, owner of Vancouver’s Laowai and Bagheera, the answer starts before the drink even lands. “People will make their mind up straight away whether they feel welcome or not,” he says. “If the lights are perfect, the music's perfect, and the team is ready to welcome you, every cocktail is the best cocktail. If the atmosphere and the lights are not right and the team doesn't feel welcoming, you could put the best cocktail over the bar and it's never going to wow anybody.” His sentiment is a reminder that “best” isn’t built on specs but it’s really felt instantly.

That idea carries across the room. We quickly sat down with Will Patton of Washington D.C.’s Press Club who puts it even more plainly: “People are going to forget what you did but you'll remember how people and bars make you feel.” In a landscape where technique is almost a given, memory becomes the differentiator. It could be the way a bartender reads the room without saying a word, or how a night subtly shifts because someone made you feel like you belonged there from the start.

“It has to also be great. You have to also deliver hospitality and the experience as a whole is more important than ever,” says Chad Spangler of Service Bar, located in Washington D.C. Plainly, execution gets you in the door, but the environment, and how it all comes together, keeps you in the running. That sense of belonging shows up in the smallest gestures. Spangler calls it “random acts of hospitality,” moments that are unscripted but intentional. “It has to be personal. It has to be unique. It has to be a genuine connection,” he explains. In a category where everyone is good, those human details are what separate the memorable from the forgettable.

At the same time, there’s a growing push to strip things back. NYC’s Overstory co-founder Harrison Ginsberg describes a scene that’s become “very complicated, very culinary oriented,” but his philosophy is simpler: “I make every drink with something called “The Delicious Factor” and I want everybody to take a sip and be like, "that's delicious.” It’s a quiet pivot away from overthinking and a move towards clarity, toward pleasure--the same instinct that has kept classic cocktails like the Margarita enduring across generations.

Still, for all the talk of trends and techniques, the most consistent thread is authenticity. “At the end of the day, if your business is profitable and you're paying your employees well and you're looking after your customers, you are the best,” adds Lewis Hart. It’s less about chasing a list and more about building something that works day in, day out, service after service.

Alana Gabriela of Bar Snack, a 2026 a Highest New Entry winner at this year’s awards, brings it back to the fundamentals, especially in a city that moves as fast as New York. “Hospitality is the primary. The vibes and the cocktails. You got good snacks with your cocktails. You got to have a good vibe. And you have to have a good presence,” she says. Working in a high-volume, neighborhood-driven space, her approach is less about overthinking and more about consistency at scale, making sure every guest, no matter who they are, feels taken care of. “We’re here to entertain the guests and make them have a wonderful time, we take care of everybody,” she adds, underscoring a simple truth: the best bars don’t just impress, they include.

There’s no single formula, no fixed blueprint to answer the question, “what does it take to be the best bar in America?” The best bars, in reality, aren't defined by one drink, one design, or even one award. From speaking with Lewis Hart, Will Patton, Harrison Ginsberg and Alana Gabriela, they reveal that striving for “best” is built in the in-between moments—the welcome at the door, the music in the background, the decision to pick up the lime no one saw fall. It’s the act of the pursuit and why platforms like the World’s 50 Best Bars, backed by partners such as Cointreau, don’t just observe the culture but help propel it forward.

DISCLAIMER: We discourage irresponsible and/or underage drinking. Drink responsibly and legally.

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Summary

• American artist Lauren Halsey will open emajendat at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on September 29
• The event will feature new works, technicolor staged designed by the artist, community activations and a concert to close it out

Lauren Halsey is set to take over the LA’s Hollywood Bowl come fall, transforming 18,000-seater in emajendat. Slated for September 29, the site-specific installation will include new artworks, community-first programming and a concert featuring the likes of Erykah Badu, Anderson .Paak, the Charles Gaines Collective and Black Nile.

The campus-wide takeover takes titular cues from Halsey's 2024 presentation at London's Serpentine Galleries, which brought a slice of South Central LA’s backyard culture to London: life-size vignettes of community heroes, prismatic CD flooring and a trove of figurines, “funkmounds” and sculptures. While bearing the same name, the artist promises that the ideas and work included in the upcoming LA presentation will be “very new.”

Airbrush stations, mini golf, ping pong and a roller “palace” are on deck for concertgoers with a special performance by Badu, .Paak (as DJ Pee .Wee) and more to close out the night. The concert will be held on a staged graced and designed by Halsey’s maximalist, technicolor signature.

For now, further details are under wraps, though a press statement teases it will be an imaginative crossover between architecture, art and sport, fused with the emblematic civic urgency of Halsey’s recently debuted “sister dreamer” sculpture garden.

Tickets for emajendat go live at 10AM PST on May 5 on Hollywood Bowl’s website. Head to the event page for more details

Hollywood Bowl
2301 N Highland Ave.,
Los Angeles, CA 90068

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Earlier this week, Amsterdam’s annual King’s Day celebrations were under way, and global sportswear retailer, JD, was all in on action, hosting its own soundsystem in the Jordaan district.

A short walk from its flagship store on Kalverstraat, the festivities saw the retailer move away from its typical fashion and footwear activations to focus on bringing hours of music and dance to the streets. Together with Dutch DJ and producer Jarreau Vandal, it curated a line-up of performances from regional artists and DJs including Lamsi, Disco Arabesquo, JAEL and more.

As the celebrations unfolded on the streets, crowds decked out in Dutch football shirts and orange-toned outfits gathered to experience the sets, turning the area into a vibrant celebration of local sounds. After spending the day dancing among the party goers, Jarreau Vandal also took the stage for a special set where he performed some of his hit tracks.

Despite hosting an alternative activation, the dedicated King’s Day soundsystem underscored the retailer’s mission in bringing authentic experiences to its community, amplifying its latest campaign, “This Space Is Yours.”

Take a look back at the showcase in the galleries above.

To find out more about JD’s new season campaign, head to its website now.

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In the industrial backdrop of Ridgewood, Brooklyn, Anna Park’s studio is less of a clean white cube and more of a high-pressure lab. At just 29, Park has moved at breakneck pace through the art world. She went from being a star student to a global name whose work now sits in major collections like the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Born in Daegu, South Korea, and raised in Utah, Park spent her childhood constantly adjusting to new environments. That experience of being a first-generation immigrant in the American suburbs gave her exclusive POV to the social "performances" people do just to fit in—a theme that’s embedded in her unruly, charcoal creations.

After a stint in California, she landed at the New York Academy of Art, where she was discovered by KAWS during an open studio in 2019. That moment helped boost her career, leading to a chain of sold-out shows and a reputation for massive, soot-stained drawings that captured the messy, sensory overload of a night out in New York. Since then, her work has evolved from chaotic crowd scenes into something much more psychological and inward, though she’s never lost that familiar sense of rapid motion visually.

Her latest solo show, Hot Honey, which opened on April 30 at Lehmann Maupin in London, is a big page-turner for her career. For the first time, Park is breaking her own "no-color" rule, moving away from the monochromatic compositions that she's ubiquitously known for and leaning into searing, intentional hues. She’s now working with aluminum panels and 3D-printed sculptural elements, using a palette inspired by the glow of fluorescent lights and the charm of vintage theater posters.

One of the core themes of Hot Honey is the "code-switching" humans do to survive in social situations. Park digs into her childhood love of Sunday comic strips and old Hollywood ads to pull out two specific archetypes: the dark vixen and the blond bombshell. They are an homage to the pair of contrasting female subjects that she associates with the past, but maintain relevance through mainstream cultural tropes. She uses these subjects to probe the gap between who we are in public and who we are behind closed doors. Plus, you’ll also notice text creeping into the work for the first time with phrases like "Let’s Pretend" that are embedded directly into the compositions. The texts reinforce these themes in subtle ways.

Step inside her studio and you’ll find it’s become a bit of a carnival, filled with paper-maché textures and a growing collection of vintage puppets. Park is the first to admit she has some "kooky" side hobbies, like hunting down porcelain puppets on Facebook Marketplace, but it all feeds the work. By mixing iPad sketches with raw, intuitive physical drawing, she’s finding a middle ground between high-tech construction and a total "purge" of ideas.

Park is proving that even with this new chapter of color and a 3D printer, the essence of her work is still about the human struggle of finding out where we belong. As part of our Visits series, we sat down with the Brooklyn-based artist as she discusses her comic-inspired works and breaking her "no-color" rule amid her solo debut at Lehmann Maupin London that is on view through May 30th.

“I love the monochromatic look because it’s seductive and strikes a certain depth, but color brought a new way of thinking about contrast.”

Walk us through what it is that you’re currently working on.

This is work for my upcoming show in London with Lehmann Maupin, opening April 30th, called Hot Honey. I’ve been working on these pieces since July of last year. The show came out of ideas borrowed from the aesthetics of theater, puppet shows, and magic shows. I was looking at a lot of old comic books because, as a kid, I used to copy the Sunday comic strips my mom saved for me. I wanted to revert back to that childhood joy of drawing.

How did the "characters" and the concept of the "two versions of self" in this new body of work develop?

Looking through old comics, I realized there are always these two tropes: the dark vixen and the vivacious blond bombshell. Media hasn’t changed much since then, there are still very few tropes for how the female body is represented. I started thinking of them as two versions of myself—the "Blond Girl POV" and the "Dark Vixen." They are almost always in conflict, though they are one and the same. It’s about the public-presenting self versus the private self, and the code-switching we do in different social spaces. Having moved around throughout my childhood, I became more aware of having to adapt to my surroundings to feel like I belong.

You’ve traditionally been known for monochromatic work. What brought you to color for this show?

I always told myself I’d only use color if it made sense for the body of work. For Hot Honey, it felt wrong not to. I was thinking about the sound of fluorescent lights, sparklers and fireworks. The palette is a dual-tone version of fluorescent lights—a subdued version of the most garish colors you’d see in a performance space. I love the monochromatic look because it’s seductive and strikes a certain depth, but color brought a new way of thinking about contrast.

“I hate to be too tied to one image because the drawing needs to stay intuitive and chaotic.”

The construction of these pieces looks complex. How do you actually build them?

I hate resolved sketches! It starts super loose, just basic dimensions. For this show, my partner, Rob, built wooden panels and we even used iPad drawings to 3D-print sculptural elements. The surface is paper-maché on top of aluminum panels. I love the wrinkles and we use this material because it’s more stable than wood. I need those unexpected moments that I can't fully control.

Is there a high-tech system behind how you use reference materials in the studio?

Not at all. I print them on a shitty printer and just tape them to the walls. It’s the least technological thing ever. They’re just jumping-off points. I hate to be too tied to one image because the drawing needs to stay intuitive and chaotic.

Which piece in this show challenged you the most?

Probably the one with ten different drawings underneath it. I kept redoing it and redoing it. With the color works, I was initially very anxious and insecure. I was so wrapped up in the end result that I forgot this was an exploratory phase. I have to treat the drawings like a relationship—sometimes I need space from them, and I can’t even look at them until we’ve "resolved our issues."

“I want to revert back to the joy of making and remove the 'ego' of the art world.”

The "finale" piece of the show is quite striking. What’s the final sentiment of the collection?

I wanted the finale to show the two women realizing they are working toward the same goal. It features nods to Betty Boop and magicians—exaggerated versions of the self. There’s also a cheeky nod to the show title and the idea of "beautiful girls with hexes." This work is a vessel for my personal thoughts without being too direct. The text embedded in it, like "Let's Pretend," is a nod to those roles we play.

We noticed some "unique" items around—can you tell us about the puppets and the side hobbies?

My end goal is to have a puppet show! I’ve been finding these weird, creepy puppets at vintage stores and on Facebook Marketplace. I once made my partner drive to Flushing because a seller wouldn't take Venmo for a $30 porcelain puppet. I also found an old zoetrope. I want to revert back to the joy of making and remove the "ego" of the art world. I’m not trying to tell people how to think; I just want to share these weird, kooky moments.

If the studio were burning down, what’s the one thing you’d grab?

Honestly, if my dog and my partner are safe... I’d probably just let it burn. That sounds morbid, but you can always continue to make art! Maybe I’d grab a really old drawing, but logistically, how would I lug these huge panels out?

Is London a special place for you to be debuting this new direction?

It’s my first time going! My idea of London is only from movies, but it’s a huge theater hub, which fits the themes of the show perfectly. I just hope they don’t hate it and I promise I won’t try to do a British accent.

All images courtesy of Michael Kusumadjaja for Hypeart

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This week, the crossover report taps into how different worlds choose to engage with the sport. Aimé Leon Dore returned to the golf course through vintage silhouettes and FootJoy craftsmanship, while McLaren translated automotive engineering into tour-level irons. Zara Home treated golf as something that can live inside the home, and Whim brought the sport into Milan Design Week as a stop on an art crawl.

Aimé Leon Dore’s different take on the golf uniform

Aimé Leon Dore's latest golf capsule treats the course as an extension of wardrobe culture. Drawing from late '90s and early 2000s golf style, the collection reworks traditional silhouettes through relaxed fits, knitwear, shirting and an expanded FootJoy partnership. It turns familiar clubhouse references into something more wearable beyond the course.

McLaren translates engineering into golf

McLaren Golf enters the space from the opposite direction to ALD: pure engineering. Their new irons series aren’t just a branding exercise either; they use the same logic found in their cars. By using Metal Injection Molding, carbon fiber and a structural mesh inspired by supercar frames, the clubs feel like high-performance machinery. It's a technical transfer from the track to the fairway. And specifically, in the bags of new ambassadors/investors Justin Rose, Michelle Wie West and Ian Poulter.

Zara brings golf into the home

Golf showing up in Zara Home isn't the obvious crossover, which is probably why it generated a lot of online chatter. Rather than approaching the game through performance, it brings golf into the home through objects, accessories and small details that sit comfortably outside the course. Among the highlights, a $2300 USD golf bag is crafted in genuine bovine leather and Vice golf balls are stamped with the Zara Home golden emblems.

Whim's unplayable green at Milan Design Week

Whim's La Cupola brings golf into design week as sculpture rather than sport. In the past, the brand has been known for building "Free Golf" pop-ups that people can actually play. This time, the concept shift into something intentionally unplayable: a dome-shaped putting green that suggests interaction but refuses it at the same time.

From F1 to the fairway, Charles Leclerc tees it up with Rickie Fowler

Charles Leclerc stepping onto the course with Rickie Fowler feels less like a formal crossover and more like a natural overlap. After all, this is the weekend when the Miami Grand Prix coincided with the PGA TOUR's Cadillac Championship. Coming from Formula 1, Leclerc brings a different kind of audience and energy into the game.

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While some might find “Costume Art” to be a rather literal name for the Met’s next major costume exhibition, much like its “Fashion Is Art” gala theme, the title conveys the event's main idea with clarity: the inseparable relationship between the dressed body and art history.

Speaking to the forthcoming exhibition last February, curator in charge Andrew Bolton said that he “wanted to focus on the centrality of the dressed body within the Museum, connecting artistic representations of the body with fashion as an embodied art form.” Bolton added that instead of placing a primacy on fashion’s “visuality,” “which often comes at the expense of the corporeal,” Costume Art will instead focus on “materiality and the indivisible connection between our bodies and the clothes we wear.” The 2026 exhibition appropriately marks the official inauguration of the Condé M. Nast Galleries, a 12,000 sq. ft. space where the Costume Institute’s future shows will live.

"Rather than prioritizing fashion’s visuality, which often comes at the expense of the corporeal, Costume Art privileges its materiality and the indivisible connection between our bodies and the clothes we wear." — Andrew Bolton

If this year’s themes seem rather conspicuous, the Y/Project suit seen across the previews is even more pointed in its statement. Designed in collaboration between the then-creative director Glenn Martens and Jean Paul Gaultier for FW22, the trompe l’oeil design reappropriates a classic men’s two-piece suit as the blank canvas for a halftone nude figure.

For the duration of the show, the naked suit will be positioned next to a 1st–2nd century CE marble statue of Diadoumenos, drawing parallels between their idealized depictions of the “Classical Body.” Other featured garments will be divided into further categories like “The Naked Body,” “The Aging Body,” and “The Anatomical Body.”

With its candid photographic depiction of the male body, the suit stands out from other looks shown in the previews, including the intricately made dresses by Dilara Findikoglu and Rei Kawakubo. Whereas many of the other works showcase interventions in form and a focus on feminine silhouettes, the Y/Project suit instead dials in on optical illusion and an overtly masculine form.

Without closer investigation, it’s easy to write the Y/Project suit off as a contradiction to Bolton’s curatorial intention. Doesn’t the suit focus on fashion’s visuality with its two-dimensional graphics? Visuality indeed takes the front seat in the method of trompe l’oeil—the word itself translates to “fool the eye.”

However, it doesn’t do this at the expense of the corporeal; instead, the suit directs attention back to the body, successfully “connecting artistic representations of the body with fashion as an embodied art form,” as Bolton describes. More broadly, it frames the exhibition's proposal of the “indivisible connection between our bodies and the clothes we wear” as a metaphor: the body escapes from beneath the garment and is reasserted onto its surface.

Debuted shortly before Glenn Martens’ departure and the brand’s subsequent closing, the suit was just one of a range of Y/Project FW22 looks that reprised Jean Paul Gaultier’s '90s trompe-l’oeil prints. The collaborative pieces were a direct reference to Gaultier’s SS96 “Pin Up Boys” collection, where similar muscular halftone torsos were depicted on button-ups (famously worn by Robin Williams).

The duo’s 2022 reprisal took it a step further, with both male and female naked bodies revealed in full, genitalia included. And as if the idea hadn’t already reached its limits, Duran Lantink’s SS26 debut for Jean Paul Gaultier, for lack of a better word, broke the fourth wall with a full-coverage photographic nude print.

For Gaultier, and perhaps his younger counterparts too, the garment becomes a space for provocation and subversion, echoing the illusory work of 20th-century Surrealist artists. In the 1930s, Méret Oppenheim’s jarring “Object” covered a humble teacup in luxurious fur, and Salvador Dalí’s melting clocks depicted solid objects as viscous masses. One could say that these visionary artists and their peers laid the groundwork for Surrealism’s entrance into the realm of fashion. Still, Elsa Schiaparelli was already making her trompe l’oeil Bow Knot sweater years before these works were even completed.

Gaultier may have fathered the contemporary interpretation of nude trompe l’oeil as a motif, but he was certainly not the first designer to use the broader method. In 1927, Elsa Schiaparelli began producing the iconic Bow Knot and other garments with trompe l’oeil details. The Italian designer’s status as a “Surrealist” would only grow stronger when she collaborated with Salvador Dalí on the Lobster Dress in 1937. Elsewhere, Hermès applied a more subtle approach in the ’50s, depicting paint strokes outlining the would-be pockets, collars, and buttons of their dresses.

What was different about Gaultier’s later development was the depiction of nudity. Instead of the illusion being the garment’s qualities, the subject of the garment is done away with completely, and the eye is tricked into seeing right through it. Furthermore, the bodies originally revealed by Gaultier and later Martens for Y/Project weren’t just any bodies; they were muscular and hourglass-shaped — reflecting specific body image ideals. Placed in the context of the “Classical Body” and positioned next to the Diadoumenos marble, it evokes how ancient Greeks glorified the naked human body in their visual culture, especially the male physique.

Knowing the often ironic tone taken by Gaultier and his younger counterparts, you can say these designers are probably less interested in promoting a certain body type and more interested in doing away with these ideals altogether. In a sharp diversion from ancient Greek idealism, Duran Lantink’s trompe l’oeil nudes for Jean Paul Gaultier SS26 weren’t exceptionally sexy but rather average. Instead of muscular, cleanly shaved bodies, Lantink revealed hairy, leaner body types that moved fluidly between male and female models. By viewing the Y/Project suit as part of this meandering timeline, the look becomes just one node in a wider story about the body’s representation in art and costume.

Clothing, in its broadest sense, indeed predates modern conceptions of “art,” a realm that began to thrive in early civilizations where the basic needs of food, clothing, and shelter were met on a wide scale. With a primary focus on “Western art from prehistory to the present” in this year’s exhibition, the dressed body can hold various meanings from economic class to gender norms, but so does the naked body.

While the nudity is generally rejected outside of museum walls, inside, representations of nudity are prized, rendered in ancient white marbles on pedestals, and painted with hyperreal dimensionality. The Jean Paul Gaultier x Y/Project collaboration and its broader lineage reversed this dynamic, taking nakedness out of its museum context and into the everyday.

It challenges both attendees and audiences to see fashion beyond surface impressions, drawing them nearer to fashion’s living essence in the body.

Just as last year’s focus on Black Dandyism brought men’s tailoring to the fore, the 2026 Met Gala is expected to set the tone for fashion in the year ahead. Unlike years past, this exhibition isn’t tied to a specific culture or visual sensibility. It challenges both attendees and audiences to see fashion beyond surface impressions, drawing them nearer to fashion’s living essence in the body. In this way, Glenn Martens and Jean Paul Gaultier’s joint creation serves as both a literal and figurative illustration of the theme.

Fashion has historically been siloed from art, deemed as the less profound, more commercial practice below the heightened status of painting and sculpture. By opening the doors to the new Condé M. Nast Galleries — a dedicated Costume Institute exhibition space — the show is poised to make its “Fashion Is Art” gala theme a reality far beyond this coming Monday.

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Over the years, Spanish car brand CUPRA has set itself apart in the automotive industry by taking the bolder, more radical route. As it now prepares to launch the all-new Raval, it’s evident that its disruptive approach is still present, informing everything from its design process to the community-led activations.

Boasting a four meter long interior, advanced tech systems and a game-changing all-electric drive, the Raval stands out as one of the brand’s most compact and agile cars. Along with its precise handling, the hatchback is made to perform seamlessly in the city as an efficient means of travel that manages to maintain the brand’s rebellious attitude with its sporty profile and signature Matrix LED lights.

For its world premier, CUPRA headed to Berlin earlier this month to host a unique outdoor concert. Unlike any automotive presentation before, the event doubled up as a secret gig with Kim Petras and other local artists lined up to play at the industrial KOMPLEX venue. A place that encapsulates the city’s forward-thinking culture, it provided a fitting stage for the showcase, echoing the unconventional DNA of the Raval.

Ahead of the event, CUPRA put up teaser posters around the Rudolfkeiz area, drawing in excitement from the surrounding creative community. As they began to arrive at the venue earlier in the day, headline artist Petras moved through the city in the Raval. Following sets by Austrian singer Eli Preiss and DJ Lovefoxy, she then positioned herself on the hood of the car for the show where she performed her latest hits as well as unreleased tracks.

The celebrations continued at CUPRA City Garage in the central Mitte district. The two-storey space – dedicated to connecting the brand with local culture – hosted a more intimate showcase of the car to Berlin’s automotive enthusiasts, industry professionals and cultural tastemakers who were invited to step into the driver’s seat.

In conjunction with the Berlin event, CUPRA also curated a series of surprise premieres in Barcelona, Madrid, Paris, Milan and Manchester. Taking place in local skateparks, central plazas and warehouses, the events were a testament to the brand’s unconventional blueprint and its ability to resonate with a younger automotive community with over 30,000 guests turning out to experience the Raval.

For those who missed out on the showcases, CUPRA reveals a new feature length film titled, The Soundtrack of Raval. As well as documenting the global performances, the film aims to capture the cultural significance of the car through highlighting its defining city-driven energy and rebellious attitude. Be sure to watch the film now on YouTube.

Take a look back at the Berlin launch event in the video above.

To find out more about the Raval, head to CUPRA’s website, with more details on its official release date soon to come.

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