Fresh off the adrenaline of London Fashion Week, Ennis Finnerty Mackay has emerged as one of the definitive voices of the CSM MA Class of 2026. Co-winner of the prestigious L’Oréal Professional Creative Award, Mackay’s collection, titled ‘Perpetual Motion’, is a visceral exploration of the haptic relationship between the body, psychology, and the relentless cycles of human nature.
Name: Ennis Finnerty Mackay
Institution: Central St Martins
Theme: Perpetual Motion & The Cycle of Addiction
Is addiction an intrinsic part of being human? This is the haunting question at the center of Mackay’s work. Rather than viewing addiction as a linear path, Mackay explores it as a continuous cycle of repetition and release.
The collection is choreographed into four distinct emotional states:
- Control: The rigid structure of the beginning.
- Euphoria: The high of the experience.
- Hysteria: The frantic loss of boundaries.
- Melancholy: The inevitable crash and reflection.
The Sketchbook: Semiotics of the Dark Room
Mackay’s sketchbook acts as an archive of London’s hidden spaces. His visual research involved documented observations of queer dark rooms, looking at the debris left behind in moments of collective euphoria and anonymity.
His sketches don't just depict clothes; they map out a critique of the fashion system. As he prepares to leave the safety of Central Saint Martins, his notes reflect a scepticism toward an industry that demands instant independence and treats a graduate collection as a "final destination." His drawings advocate for a broader understanding of fashion education—one where the work is a beginning, not a burial.
The Fabrication: Discarded Intimacy
This narrative is deeply personal, with tailored silhouettes informed by three generations of alcoholic inheritance. Mackay uses fashion to process familial history, situating the wearer within a "perpetual motion" that mirrors both the struggle of dependency and the relentless pace of the fashion industry itself.
The Catwalk: The Final Reveal
The show at London Fashion Week was a masterclass in tension. As the models moved, the "wet-look" textures of the dried latex caught the strobe lights, creating a sense of "euphoria in gloss" against the "restraint of structure."
The silhouette was a rigorous dance of sharp-shouldered tailoring and subverted classics. One of the most talked-about elements was the pockets with finger holes, which forced models into specific gestural movements, making them inhabit the clothes with a deliberate, almost choreographed ease. By the time the finale walk commenced, it was clear that Mackay had achieved his goal: a collection that felt both deeply personal and technically untouchable.
