An eerie display of frozen figures stands in the centre of the NewGen presentation space, setting the scene for Yaku’s surrender to combat. Yaku Stapleton’s latest collection continues the ‘Impossible Family reunion in RPG space’ following Chapter six, which explored the family’s carers, Chapter 7: The Evolution of Combat, explores the brothers and protectors through the lens of Afrofuturism.
Inspired by the practice of Asian and native Caribbean martial art styles as well as the world of combat cinema and professional wrestling from Blade to WWE Smackdown, the runway presentation follows the two brothers: ‘Nathanial’, whose reality is rooted in duty but desires freedom, and ‘Amir’, who is expressive in nature but is limited in an ‘imbalanced system’. The show opens with the ‘Shaman’, an archetype that dictates the power in the brother’s story, dressed in shades of black with an oversized headpiece draped in layers of jersey that conceal his face. He moves across the runway throughout, signalling when a new ‘act’ begins.
As the four acts of ‘discipline, temptation, confrontation and consequence’ unfold, a dance-led cast directed by Dermot Daly interpret the brother’s journey through highly expressive dance and emotive acting. We get to witness the two brothers train and grow with each other in earth-toned 3D spine polos and oversized streetwear silhouettes, including distressed cargo pants and spiked hoodies, along with the brand’s signature ‘warrior’ boots. In his words, Stapleton intended to “separate fantasy and reality this season in order not to dilute both”; this is apparent in the intentional contrast between pieces such as the Wii swords and the ‘Jawa’ hoodies or metaphorically through the hardship faced in the combat narrative.
This season also sees Nike enter the RPG space with some collaborative pieces featured ahead of their release in May 2026, like the reconstructed grey Nike tech fleece. After being part of the Nike Re-creation programme for almost three years, Stapleton still aspires to transform deadstock into something imaginative, which is evident in the contemporary execution. The compelling score by Jordan Fox, Oliver Berg and Jobi Feugo set an emotional atmosphere for each act, bridging the gap between the rawness of the orchestra and grime beats, which separate and meet with each other to highlight the complexity of the brothers’ environment. Each part of the performance was integral to one another, including the set design by Sookyoung Kim.
“What happens when history is repeatedly ignored by those with a different relationship to growth and survival?” is the main question posed by Stapleton this season by continuing to explore the history of Black identity across both real and fantastical worlds. The unforgettable presentation ends with a soft saxophone melody following the intense battle with two final contrasting looks: an all-black, belted leather, utilitarian jacket and pant look and a white-grey jersey look featuring extreme drop-crotch pants and top wear with accentuated padding detail on the back. The final look encapsulated the burdens and hardships carried from combat; the model drifted down the runway not with ease but curiosity. This chapter makes clear that growth isn’t easy, but it is possible by acknowledging history.
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Words: Ruby Warburton
Photography: Christian Tuckwell