London Fashion Week: Backstage with the nail team at Paul Costelloe’s Palm Springs-inspired show

Scratch was invited to watch Paul Costelloe’s SS26 London Fashion Week show, featuring nails by Mii Cosmetics. Here’s what happened…

Paul Costelloe’s spring/summer 2026 collection, ‘Boulevard of Dreams’, is an ode to the heyday of Palm Springs, with nods to Sunset Boulevard, Beverly Hills and Santa Monica.

In a note to attendees, Paul wrote: “I am taking you on a walk, my hand held closely by none other than the style icon of the decade, Sharon Tate.” The collection is stated to be ‘a vibrant ode to femininity, freedom and the effortless glamour of 1967’.

In contrast to many of Costelloe’s recent collections, Boulevard of Dreams is full of colour, rearing its head in the face of neutrals, and focusing instead on popsicle-esque coral, yellow and orange, punctuated with hints of sky blue.

Of course, the vibrancy of the collection warrants equally energetic nail looks. Enter, Mii Cosmetics.

No stranger to London Fashion Week, Mii has long been a favourite brand of Paul Costelloe and has featured in previous catwalks. While nude hues and deep earthy tones have been the previous go-to colours, the vivacious SS26 collection allowed the brand to showcase its love of colour.

Lead nail artist, Sophia Stylianou, and her team of five manicurists worked tirelessly to provide the exquisite nail looks for the show. The team painted the models’ fingernails with Mii Cosmetics Colour Confidence Nail Polish in Clear Skies – a periwinkle blue with a luxurious crème finish; Coral Camellia – a vibrant coral, reminiscent of tropical flowers, and Peach Petals – a warm peach-pink with pastel undertones.

Sophia tells Scratch: “Mii Cosmetics have such a great variety of polishes that we couldn’t choose just one, so ended up using three for the show!”

Due to the harmonious colour scheme, Sophia notes that although she ‘didn’t know which outfits each model would be wearing’, all three Mii Cosmetics polishes complemented each garment. “It just worked, because they all go together so beautifully,” she says.

The models’ handcare was also tended to using Mii Cosmetics, with the Nourish + Nurture Cuticle Oil hydrating and softening skin.

The show was a rousing success, with Paul Costelloe taking a well-deserved bow as the audience praised Boulevard of Dreams. The collection and accompanying nail looks are an exciting indication of upcoming trends, and we can’t wait to grab our popsicle polishes for spring/summer 2026!

Check out Mii Cosmetics via Instagram, Facebook and at www.miicosmetics.com

Nail team led by: Sophia Stylianou – follow her on Instagram, Facebook and www.sophiastylianou.com

Assisted by:

• @thenailstudio_x
• @wearefyle
• @nailartistrybyapril
• @nicolaholmesbeauty
• @beautybyalicexo