Lee McQueen’s spirit is alive and well in Seán McGirr’s S/S ‘26 collection. Drawing inspiration from past shows, McGirr’s collection referenced Dante (1996), Irere (2003) (which means “transformation” in an Amazonian language), and Highland Rape (1995) collections through portrayals of military style and paganism. The setting, a wood fixture you would find at a festival or exotic rave, lent itself to cohesion as subtle hints of the natural world were incorporated into the runway in the way of earth tones, florals, and undone appearances. These attributes highlighted McGirr’s knowledge of the brand’s history and dedication to reviving its heritage as the new creative director.
In addition to referencing past collections, the designs reflected the tone of one of McGirr’s (and McQueen’s) favourite films, The Wicker Man, the 1973 folk horror tale in which a Puritan police sergeant arrives in a Scottish island village in search of a missing girl whom the local pagans claim never existed. This association allowed McGirr to explore femininity in relation to nature as a symbol of fertility as he created his first womenswear-only collection.
The collection featured many designs that accentuated the female form, such as a sturdy white bustier and lace-up neckpiece, blending the strength of armour with the colour of purity and renewal. McGirr played with provocation as his designs made the models look sexy while dressed in traditionally more masculine clothing. Another look resembled a straitjacket, possibly depicting the feelings of insanity the police sergeant felt as he became untethered from reality in search of a nonexistent missing-person case. The modern take on the Norfolk jacket alluded to A/W ‘96 Dante, which was inspired by the 14th-century Florentine poet, writer, and philosopher Dante Alighieri and his famous work Divine Comedy, with some garments featuring prints from the Vietnam War taken by photographer Don McCullin.
McQueen’s famous pirate boots from his S/S ‘03 collection were also featured in the recent show as well as a reimagined take on the closing look from S/S ‘07 – a voluminous gown composed of layered artificial flowers in shades of purple and green, creating a textured, sculptural silhouette. In line with this season’s theme of provocation, McGirr reintroduced the Bumster – the erotic, ultra-low-rise trouser from McQueen’s mid ‘90s collections. Unlike the shock factor caused by its original debut, the risqué design resonated with party girls today, as style has begun to shift to a more liberating nature, with McGirr saying the design is “very much that London girl we all know and love” (in an interview for Vogue Runway).
With each collection, McGirr is slowly reviving the old house, this time reawakening the anarchic spirit of the McQueen girl by preying on her primal instincts. The feral energy of the show conjured the feeling of rolling around in the grass with a potential love interest on a hot summer day. This raw, untamed vitality not only captures the essence of youthful desire but also honours the irreverent genius behind the brand. The legacy lives on through odes to the late creative visionary and devoted fans of the legendary fashion house.