Backstage Beauty for Hector Maclean’s latest collection was a study in contrasts—polished yet raw, refined yet rebellious. Skin was prepped to luminous Edwardian perfection with Dermalogica, its porcelain clarity a canvas for iridescent touches. that followed. Key Makeup Artist Michelle Webb, working with Aofm Pro, envisioned a look steeped in British nobility. Embellishments of pearls and crystals sparkled over bold primary hues by Burn Cosmetics, creating a delicate interplay of tradition and defiance.

Hair, team led by Craig Chapman and Ashleigh Hodges, married romance with punk, sculpting peaks of defiance, crowned with tilted diadems and encrusted jewels—anointing models as modern-day royals, unbound by convention.

Hector Maclean’s collections always pay homage to an iconic British woman, but this season carries a personal twist. Upon discovering that Susan Belasis was a relative, Maclean embraces his unexpected royal connection. Bellasis, described in her time as a “lady of life and vivacity,” serves as the muse for Bastard Aristocrats, a collection that celebrates both the lineage and rebellion of Britain’s aristocracy.

Union Jacks, upcycled from found flags and bedsheets, were bleached, shredded, and draped with Maclean’s signature touch, while neon pink and green strokes injected a rebellious modernity into regal silhouettes. Black lace gowns whisper of Queen Victoria’s sombre elegance, while a nod to the ultimate royal rebel emerges in references to the revenge dress and pearl necklace—a sartorial salute to defiance and grace.

Discovering your connection to Lady Bellasis must have been a deeply personal and unexpected revelation. How did that discovery shape your creative thought process for BASTARD ARISTOCRATS, and did it change the way you approach storytelling in fashion?

H: Oh absolutely! After last 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 this that 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. The idea behind BASTARD ARISTOCRATS is that we can all come from royalty; 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 in depth - 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 proud to be British.

Your collections merge historical influences with contemporary rebellion, creating a bold narrative on the runway. When preparing for a show, how do you filter and communicate your vision to your creative team to ensure the essence of your concept is fully realized?

H: I describe the theme in depth I think my passion must naturally come through - trying to install an understanding, to enthuse and to uplift my team with the inspiration of the ethos of Hector Maclean and the essence of our label.

The show ‘s result? It was fusion of past and present, where aristocratic elegance meets subversive rebellion. The backstage beauty—polished skin, jewel-studded details, and sculpted punk crowns—echod the collection’s ethos, proving that British identity is not just history revisited, but a bold and regal reinvention.

Backstage Beauty Report & Photography: Astrid Kearney

Illustrations: Claire Jones Art