by Brian James
Set amidst the ecclesiastical elegance of St Paul’s Church in the heart of Covent Garden , Hector Macleans A/W 25 collection entitled “BASTARD ARISTOCRATS” showed to an adoring London Fashion Week audience who packed the pews. This season, Maclean looked to the stimulus of heritage and his own regal ancestry to explore the United Kingdom’s relationship with class and culture; and how our personal histories no longer need define our roles in 21st century Britain. Taking that cultural touchstone as the basis for the collection’s inspiration, the designer enchanted us with an array of designs which explored the juxtaposition between Royalty and his own upbringing which was far removed from that of his illustrious ancestors.
Imbued with the designer’s trademark punk sensibility and ironic, quintessentially British, sense of humour , “BASTARD ARISTOCRATS” was a visual feast that also bore an innately sustainable footprint. As with all his previous collections, this latest body of work was made with an intentionality and traceability that allows us to see where the fabrics and materials used have come from and that environmentally ethical standards have been met.
Flanelle spoke to Hector after the show to ask him about the maturation of ideas that brought this latest collection to life, the pivotal moments that have defined his career, and his plans for the future.
Congratulations on your latest collection, “Bastard Aristocrats,” which we loved. What inspired this highly evocative title and how much of that inspiration reflects your own background and also 21st century multicultural British society?
Thanks so much! The collection BASTARD ARISTOCRATS is based on myself and my ancestor Lady Bellasis who had an affair with King James II and had an heir that was acknowledged by the royal family. I didn’t actually find out until not that long ago! The idea is that we can all come from royalty and that royalty is for everyone; we don’t know people’s backgrounds and heritage; we all come from ancestors, and history doesn’t define the individuals that we are. Britain is such an electric mix of high and low, punk and aristocracy; it’s a crazy island that personifies extravagance and punk rebellion, but at heart we are all one, and I’m immensely proud to be from the United Kingdom. That’s what this collection celebrates.
How did these themes and influences manifest themselves in the stunning pieces we saw on the runway?
BASTARD ARISTOCRATS is vastly different from former collections as it’s a lot more personal and way more camp than I have ever gone in a previous season. Normally, I try and do quite high fashion pieces and experimental shapes; this season we are doing interesting silhouettes, but it’s a lot more about embellishment. And taking a moment for the pieces with Union Jacks *laughs*… it’s so hammy! I tried to do it in such an elegant way, but there’s been a deep fear within me of Oh gosh, is this too much… The colour palette, shapes and association worried me, but I’m really excited about what they’ve transformed into.
The collection showed your continuing evolution as a designer while retaining the signature Hector Maclean elements we love. How do you balance that creative desire to evolve and innovate while maintaining a brand identity that’s proved so successful?
That’s very kind, thank you. I keep our brand signatures such as pleats and the clear historical British aesthetic. The strong independent women that our brand centres itself on is pivotal, and that nucleus allows us to maintain our identity.
Sustainability lies at the core of everything you do. What sustainable practices did you follow in the making of this collection?
Yes, sustainability is a huge part of Hector Maclean. All our fabrics are recycled, donated or saved from landfill or dead stock. We try and save every single scrap from our studio and reuse it for other looks, and we do zero waste pattern cutting. Environmental issues are huge to me, I think harking back to my background with things being quite hard growing up – I was always quite loathed to throw things away and I think that has carried through to the brand, where we try and be as ecological as physically possible, and use synthetics as little as possible as they don’t biodegrade; we try and use natural fibres where we can.
You worked for several designers, including Vivienne Westwood, before setting out on your own. In what ways did those experiences prepare you for founding Hector Maclean, and what lessons have you taken from them into your own brand?
My time at Vivienne Westwood was fun and ridiculous. Witnessing how Vivienne worked with her quarter mannequins was phenomenal; she’d send pieces down to us and we had to ascertain how she draped and put things together, examining the way she saw the world. It was truly astonishing to view and be a part of the high end of the industry, and she most certainly inspired me as a creator, as a designer.
Your debut collection was called “Isle of Mull”. To what extent does your Scottish heritage inform your work and how connected do you feel to that ancestral homeland?
Ancestry is a big thing. I’m excited to get back to doing a collection about my Scottish roots. Scotland is very much at the centre of my heart, and Mull is one of the most beautiful places in the entire world and does feel a bit like home. I’m super proud to be Scottish.
The Clan Maclean motto“”Death or life” could be a metaphor for the horrific accident and injuries you suffered in 2014. How has that shaped your views on life and your resilience in an industry that can take itself too seriously and be very transitory?
With me and fashion, it’s like I’m on fire – I have to get it out of me otherwise, it burns me up. I get frustrated and hate being bored. If I didn’t do fashion, I don’t know what I’d do! I have to; I have to create, and I think that burning desire is never going to leave me. I’m never going to stop designing. I’m never going to stop doing this because it’s what I’m made to do. And I think that’s maybe what the accident also taught. Being so young and realizing mortality is quite tricky. But it made me stronger, and I think you just kind of deal with it. It showed me that life really is short and we have to appreciate every second we have, and every opportunity we’re given. It could end any moment, so just aim to express what you’re trying to get out of your body.
You’re renowned for dressing powerful and empowering women from royal associations to celebrity royalty like Pryanka Chopra and Ashley Graham. Which women have empowered you and been your role models?
I have many role models, many muses – such as my grandmother, my sister, my mother and my ancestor Lady Bellasis, as well as the likes of Virginia Woolf and Tilda Swinton who has always been a huge influence – generally inspiring female figures, hence me referring to Christina Rossetti in previous collections. There’s something insanely wonderful about women who drive me to create, and that’s the ethos of it all. I love women, I respect women, and I have such admiration for them. I’m trying to uplift intelligent women and make idols of female figures who have said something and said something powerful. My female protagonist is bolshy, she’s strong and immensely smart, yet playful, silly and ridiculous. One of my main muses is named Rose – I grew up with her, she went to Cambridge and now works in banking; she is simply the most intelligent woman but dances like a complete freak and has always been such an inspiration to me. I’m proud of my muses being themselves.
How do you want the women who wear Hector MacLean to feel about themselves and the world around them when wearing your creations?
I want them to feel incredible, the best version of them, celebrating themselves. I love that wonderful moment of seeing models feel themselves whilst feeling like they’re becoming a character, personifying something and feeling overwhelmed with joy. It makes me immensely happy to see what my clothes can bring.
Having shown to great acclaim at London Fashion Week, what are your plans and aspirations for the rest of 2025?
After SS25 season, I was walking to a party thinking about what I wanted to say in my next collection: things a little more personal to me, reflecting on my history and something my mum has brought up recently about us being aristocratic. I love that I’m a weird juxtaposition with my accent but with a tough upbringing. It’s just all very real, and I’m sure creative juices will continue to flow following this season and inspire me on the next chapter of discovery. I’m excited for maybe a little break *laughs* and many new opportunities and collaborations in the pipeline.
Channelling his familial history and the multicultural milieu which has so enriched 21st century Britain, Hector Maclean’s “BASTARD ARISTOCRATS” is a bravura collection. One that melds the eclectic with the elegant and explores the captivating tensions that lie at the heart of British society. In an era where many people , can understandably , feel uncomfortable proclaiming their Britishness , Maclean is a designer who not only does that but incorporates that iconography within the designs he creates.
Marrying instinctual innovation with an intrinsically sustainable footprint Hector Maclean has gifted us a collection that speaks to the power of fashion to take us to new and better places through the power of design. While we may not all have aristocratic antecedents, we can all dress regally in Hector’s gorgeous creations.
Image Credits : Nicoló Urbani Photography
Celebrity Media imagesBackstage images / Guest images
