There is something about Hannah Rose Dalton and Steven Raj, the duo behind Matières Fécales, that attracts a very specific type of people: outsiders, misfits, usually misunderstood, probably wearing looks that are bold on the outside but they’re soft and sensitive on the inside. In just a few years, and after moving from Canada to Paris, they’ve been able to gather a group of ‘weirdos’ (in the best way possible) – from Michèle Lamy to Lewis G Burton and Gena Marvin – that embody their values perfectly: courage to be oneself, to push the limits of what’s socially acceptable, and the honesty to present yourself to the world as you are. And love; above all, love instead of hate. That’s why their latest Spring/Summer 2026 collection feels more important today than ever before.
The designers have come a long way from their early DIY creations, including heavily torn sweatshirts, jackets, and pants, and printed t-shirts with goth-like imagery. Now, in their second season, they’re receiving the support of industry giants like Adrian Joffe, MAC Cosmetics, and Christian Louboutin, and their clients include artists like FKA Twigs and Lady Gaga. That’s what you call a meteoric rise — but one that is still grounded in their personal history.
As they comment about their S/S 2026 collection, “we wanted to delve deeply into our vision of beauty and all the layers that bloom within it.” They add: “It’s a love letter to Hannah Rose, my partner in life. Her fearless commitment to beauty on an everyday basis is ultimately the foundation of the aesthetic we’ve been trying to share with the world. During these troubling times, we felt it was important to draw inspiration from something profound and human, which is love.”
At first sight, the collection has all the elements we would usually associate with romanticism: a colour palette including passion red, pale pink, black, and white; sensual fabrics like satin, silk, and tulle; and symbolic elements like roses, globally used to declare your love for someone. But there’s a darker side to it — in the end, it’s Matières Fécales that we’re talking about. “We took inspiration from Hannah’s middle name, Rose, which has always been a symbol of the cycle of life and death for us. In our eyes, its most beautiful state is when it’s dying, as it reflects all the imperfection that makes us human.”
The references are clear: a lot (perhaps a bit too much) of Alexander McQueen – the corsetry, the leather masks, the balance between opulence and decadence, the horror-inspired beauty looks – with hits of Vetements and Balenciaga — the massive shoulders, the denim-turned-couture, the platforms. But even if it looks very referential, it is also an aesthetic they’ve been known for since they came into the scene. Perhaps we can’t see a fast evolution, but it makes it easy to appreciate their cohesion and coherence.
At a time where white, skinny, and normative is back in vogue, pushing back the efforts of the latest years to make fashion more inclusive, Matières Fécales stand as a pillar for true inclusivity and differentiation. Their models are ‘imperfect’ to the eyes of those who love to look down on others, and so are their clothes — torn, frayed or distressed in one way or another, even spiky like their leather opera gloves. At the same time, they stand proud because they know that what sets them apart from the rest is also their strength: broad, exaggerated shoulders, sharp silhouettes, exuberant volumes, sky-high heels, sheer tops and blouses that leave little to the imagination. They present themselves as they are — you take it or leave it.
