According to Proenza Schouler, We Should All Be Wearing Grey Nails This Season

The underrated nail lacquer gets its due at NYFW.

Hannah Baxter's avatar
By
Published In Features
three women with grey nails wearing black and white clothes clothes up on their hands and feet in a grid pattern
(Image credit: Monica Feudi / Courtesy of Proenza Schouler)

Sitting at a fashion show usually means you're eyeing the clothes, shoes, and accessories sauntering down the runway—but not for me. I mean, yes, of course I'm plotting all the ways I can incorporate the best new looks into my wardrobe, but I'm also keeping a keen eye out for the manicures and pedicures on the models to determine the new nail polish colors that will be trending for the season. Shades of nude are always a New York Fashion Week staple, but occasionally a nail artist and a designer will agree to crank it up a notch and play around with an unexpected lacquer or two. At Proenza Schouler this season, where Rachel Scott made her debut as the brand's new creative director, I was downright giddy to see that grey nails made a notable appearance.

two women wearing black and white clothes and grey nail polish

Shades of grey at Proenza Schouler S/S '26.

(Image credit: Monica Feudi / Courtesy of Proenza Schouler)

Moody neutrals are always a fall staple when it comes to manicures but it's refreshing to see grey make such a high fashion comeback. And it wasn't just the typical charcoal tone either—gunmetal grey, dark grey, and warm grey shades all had their time under the lights of the runway, accenting the collection's dizzying array of patterns, textures, and pops of orange and yellow.

Personally, I'm all for a pivot away from the chocolate brown nails that we've been seeing since this time last year. Or, rather, I'm eager to try out another neutral-adjacent alternative to show my nail tech during my next salon appointment. Plus, a grey nail polish offers a bit of unexpected edge to the typical wine or burgundy lacquers that dominate the fall nail trend cycle, and it's a bit less stark than an all-black or all-white nail. I know that once my summer tan fades, I don't always care for a super harsh polish color, so I'm thinking grey will become an important part of my manicure rotation.

a close up of two women's feet wearing grey nail polish and heels

Grey pedicures at Proenza Schouler S/S '26.

(Image credit: Monica Feudi / Courtesy of Proenza Schouler)

Being a fan of an out-of-the-box toenail color, I'm particularly intrigued by grey pedicures for the season ahead. Even though most people won't be seeing my feet between late October through March, I still like to know that my nails and cuticles are cared for and looking cute. As with any beauty choice, it's for youself, not for anyone else!

If you're eager to try out the grey nail trend, keep scrolling for some of my favorite polish options on the market right now.

Explore More
Hannah Baxter
Hannah Baxter
Beauty Director

Hannah Baxter is the Beauty Director at Marie Claire. She has previously held roles at The Zoe Report, Coveteur, and Bust Magazine, covering beauty, wellness, fashion, and lifestyle. She authors the Marie Claire newsletter Face Forward. Her writing has appeared in Harper's Bazaar, Allure, The Cut, Elle, InStyle, Glamour, Air Mail, Vogue, Architectural Digest, Byrdie, Nylon and more.

She is also the founder of Anxiety Beer, a weekly newsletter about the intersection of culture and mental health. In her spare time you can catch her reading too many overdue library books, thrifting, or hanging with her hairless cat, Norman. You can find her on Instagram and TikTok @hannahbaxward.