February 20, 2026 |
The applause had barely settled before disbelief took over backstage at Central Saint Martins. This year’s MA cohort gathered in a blur of hugs, cameras and happy tears as the two winners of the L’Oréal Professionnel Award For Young Talent tried to process what had just happened. For one, the moment felt distant and dreamlike; for the other, overwhelmingly loud and bright. But for both, the night marked a pause – however brief – in the intensity of the MA to simply feel proud.
Ennis Finnerty Mackay
“Hi 10 Magazine, I’m Finnerty Mackay and I’m a designer here on the MA.”
Fresh from the runway, Ennis Finnerty Mackay was still visibly taking it all in. “It feels surreal, it feels not normal at all. I loved the experience here on the MA and I was here to develop my own collection. Obviously stuff like this happens, but it wasn’t in my line of sight, I wasn’t even focused on it at all. I’m just here to do my little project, but I’m really really happy of course.”
The scale of the moment only hit once they stepped into the crowd. “There were a lot more people in the room than I was expecting. I had no idea which direction to walk, no one taught me! I felt like a child at a school rehearsal looking for your parents in the crowd. But it was fun!”
As for celebrations, the plan was simple – and well earned. “I’m going to go to bed (laughs). No, but I’m definitely going to get a few drinks beforehand and have a good dance. I have such a good group of friends and yeah I need a good dance.”
Maxina Brewer
Maxina Brewer was equally stunned in the aftermath of the announcement. “It feels really really surreal, like I feel kind of shocked. I’m really excited and I’m really grateful. I feel like I’m not here, I’m like whaaaaaat.”
Even in the middle of the excitement, their thoughts were with family. “I was thinking where’s my mum, and where’s my brother. I was probably overthinking it to be honest, as usual. But yeah.”
The night ahead, however, promised something louder. “How am I going to celebrate? I think I’m gonna get shots, I’m gonna get drinks. I’m going to see my friends, call my family. I want to look at the show. I haven’t seen it yet so I wanna watch that. That’s going to be a fun thing to do. But yeah, I’m gonna go out. Go to a rave!”
