Photography: @itschrisyates
Designer: Haus of Mclees
Show: Fashion Scout @fashionscout
PR: I.dea PR @i.deapr
When the self is lost to darkness, confronting its most vulnerable, stripped-back form becomes the first step towards beginning again. Latin for ‘reborn’, RENATUS explores the psychological, spiritual and physical journey through darkness towards light, considering what must be surrendered before something new can emerge.
For this collection, Haus of Mclees moves beyond the garment for the first time, introducing hand-beaded boots alongside a live illustration process created directly onto the pieces during the presentation. The additions extend Mantegazza’s focus on adornment and handcraft, bringing the act of making into the collection itself.
Founded by Swiss and Native American designer Mclees Mantegazza, Haus of Mclees grew from her connection to traditional beadwork and the time she spent with her grandfather on the Wind River Reservation. It was there that she was first introduced to the craft, which would become central to her approach to fashion and adornment.
RENATUS began with a book Mantegazza created during her master’s degree, exploring the experience of losing oneself to darkness before confronting the most vulnerable version of the self. The idea became the starting point for a collection concerned with surrender, renewal and the possibility of beginning again.
A restrained palette of black, white, silver and gold reflects this passage. Exposed silhouettes and sculptural forms reveal the body rather than conceal it, while recycled materials, silk, embellished mesh, embroidery, crystals and semi-precious stones are transformed through intricate hand-beading.
Angelic and religious imagery sits alongside references to Mother Nature, while the recurring spiral becomes a symbol of continuity and return. Drawing in part from Mantegazza’s Native American heritage, RENATUS considers death not as an ending, but as part of a continual process of change.
Following its London Fashion Week presentation, Haus of Mclees will showcase during Paris Fashion Week in October 2026 before relocating to Miami in January 2027. The move will mark a new chapter for the house, bringing expanded collections, new ready-to-wear offerings and a major menswear line, while bespoke couture and custom commissions will continue. Despite its international growth, Mantegazza intends to retain the intimacy and individuality of the atelier that has shaped the house from the beginning.
