Hector Maclean is the emerging London designer weaving love, loss and resilience into every stitch
The designer’s Autumn/Winter 2026 collection served as a romantic tribute to his late grandmother
When London style icons like Bree Runway are sitting front row at your fashion show, you know you’re doing something right. That was certainly the case at the Hector Maclean Autumn/Winter 2026 runway presentation at London Fashion Week, where the musician joined model Aweng Ade-Chuol and Isobel Richmond to witness a collection that felt both intimate and monumental.
An alum of Vivienne Westwood, Maclean launched his eponymous label in 2022, quickly earning acclaim for his signature draping and inventive use of deadstock materials, reflecting a commitment to sustainability. This season, Maclean’s sculptural sensibilities were applied to a deeply personal narrative – a tribute to his late grandmother and others whose lives were uprooted during the Second World War.
“It’s a travesty that we’re losing the history of the Holocaust,” he reflects, noting the dwindling number of survivors. “She was such an empowered, hilarious woman. I think that humour even through trial has always been so inspiring.”
The Central Saint Martins graduate translated trauma and memory into wearable art. Sculptural silhouettes incorporated twisted metal delicately woven through fabric, while decayed elements like ripped hems and torn layers evoked both fragility and resilience. Some pieces recalled the brooding romanticism of Emerald Fennell’s “Wuthering Heights“, offering a narrative weight and striking visual vocabulary that the film’s actual costumes sorely lacked.
Colour played a bold role: beetle-green velvet paired with bright red stockings created a jarring, theatrical energy, while a futuristic PVC coat gave looks a space-age feel. Despite the contrasts, the collection felt cohesive, balancing historical reflection with forward-looking design.
Maclean’s Autumn/Winter 2026 show was more than a fashion statement; it was a meditation on memory, loss, and strength, told through fabric and form. Each garment carried emotion, history, and artistry and ultimately served as a reminder that fashion can be both a stage for spectacle and a vessel for storytelling.