By Jesse Scott
No one can do beautiful violence or folksy horror quite like Sean McGirr. The Dublin-born designer has brought McQueen back to its roots in his five seasons since taking over as creative director, embodying a delightful and dark insanity that ranges from Victorian-inspired swamp banshees to Scandinavian pagan sacrifices. AW26 was one of his strongest seasons yet, as he examined the relationship between performance and paranoia in a season built on precise tailoring and classic silhouettes yet highlighted by bold accents and at times grotesquely sublimated into a particular type of madness.
This season’s McQueen protagonist belongs in a psychological thriller. She is defined by an inner turmoil between darkness and light… one that, like a Hitchcock film, leaves us permanently off balance wondering what is real, what is fake, and whether we can even trust our own minds.
Glorious Descent into Madness
Camille Charriere, Sophie Thatcher, and Stella Lucia were among the celebrity names that embodied the McQueen femme fatale as they arrived at the buzzing show space. Together they experienced a glorious descent into madness as models made their way down a labyrinthine series of curtained corridors instead of a typical catwalk.
Anna Wintour, Luca de Meo, Camille Charriere, Alva Claire, Ch'lita Collins, Jezmi Fehmi, Chappell Roan, Sean McGirr, Daphne Guinness, Gianfilippo Testa, Noomi Rapace (Images courtesy of McQueen / Dave Benett)
From a tweed coat with exaggerated shoulders in the opening look to a dramatic fur-hooded, Look 30, to the surprising incorporation of flowing florals in Look 29 (think back to the dark yet whimsical pagan references from last season’s “The Wicker Man” show) the collection was layered with unexpected nuances that kept guests guessing. A major highlight was Look 24, as black leather pants contained twenty individual zippers to provide the maximum level of customization. These are my de facto new clubbing pants (with the number of zippers left unzipped depending entirely on which techno artist I see). The collection was all perfectly twisted - and it was the innovative accessories that provided the most memorable moments of all.
McQueen Autumn/Winter 2026: Looks 24, 29, 30 (Images courtesy of McQueen)
For some houses, accessories are treated like “the old ball and chain,” with similar unremarkable pieces being trotted out show after show as an afterthought to even the most outstanding collections. At McQueen, the paradigm is anything but, with McGirr weaving rich narratives into bags and shoes that become must-have items every season. The singular best bag of AW26, whether speaking about Milan, London, or Paris, was ironically a “ball and chain.” Shaped like a deadly metal mace which attaches to the wrist like a bracelet, the bag is the ultimate weapon for the contemporary femme fatale who takes no prisoners in love or life. It was joined by the iconic Manta, this season covered in metallic floral embroidery, and the Soft Knuckle clutch, reimagined in a new slouchy form. And of course there were swoon-worthy charms, from a pirate to the mace bag in miniature form.
Looks 32, which paired a voluminous silver sculptural dress with a black hooded cape and a bejeweled full-face mask, was the showstopper of the collection. And for those who prefer masked flare with less ferocious sensibility, there was Look 33, which saw a multi-colored floral full-face mask accentuate a hooded coat and a quasi-lace dress. Both exemplified the spirit of this season’s McQueen girl - glamorous, unapologetic, and ready to embrace chaos.
McQueen Autumn/Winter 2026: Looks 32, 33 (Images courtesy of McQueen)
McGirr’s evolution as a designer has been one of the most fun stories to follow in fashion in recent years. Each season sees him converse more deeply with the brand’s heritage and Lee’s own aesthetic while developing his own exquisitely dark vision. And this season marked one of his strongest collections to date. “Surface yields to different impulses; the artifice undone,” he told guests. Primal, rebellious, and raw, AW26 brought us further into a psychological thriller of McGirr’s making from which we simply can’t turn away.