October 1, 2019 |
From Extinction Rebellion picketing shows in London to Gucci going carbon neutral, this fashion season has been marked by a big conversation around sustainability. What is best fashion practice in an overheating world? The industry has just woken up to this but Stella McCartney has been having those conversations since she started her brand, over 20 years ago. She leads by example so it’s always worth noting what she’s doing next. “With over 75% of the ready-to-wear being eco-friendly, this marks our most sustainable collection ever,” she said pointing to her use of recycled polyester, organic cotton, sustainable viscose and ECONYL® while also introducing hemp and sustainable raffia (for bags) into the equation.
She’s shown the refuseniks that it is perfectly possible to create great clothes and build a substantial business (she recently partnered with LVMH) in an ethical way. She’s everything we love in a woman – strong, stylish, determined, persuasive, talented, ambitious, mindful and a visionary. Please, Your Majesty make her a Dame (not least because we’d love to see what she wears to the Palace). Fangirling aside, McCartney would be the first to say that ethics alone don’t make a fashion business. Aesthetics count too. If you want a perfectly proportioned oversized blazer, she has it along with the perfect fluttering silk day dress that could take you from desk to dinner, a slinky sun ray pleated lurex dress party frock or an enveloping quilted kimono coat. These are all seductive, stylish pieces that will make an easy segue into real life. That’s Stella’s ultimate success.
Photographs by Jason Lloyd-Evans.
