November 27, 2017 |
Are we surprised? Of course we’re not. Stella McCartney’s commitment to environmental issues is not only a personal passion but a founding principle of her brand, one that has famously never used any leather, fur, skins or feathers since its inception in 2001. Commendable stuff. And, accordingly, come December 4th at the Royal Albert Hall, she will be awarded with a Special Recognition Award for Innovation at the 2017 Fashion Awards in partnership with Swarovski.
“I’m incredibly proud to get this award,” she said this afternoon. “I am hoping that as being the first recipient, I can inspire other design houses to follow suit and to make this the most prestigious award, not just a one off.” A closer look at the details of McCartney’s commitment to ethically sourced fashion reveals just why Dame Natalie Massenet, Chairman of the BFC, describes her as “a fashion pioneer.” Stella’s dedication to innovation reveals itself throughout every facet of her label, from ready-to-wear, to lingerie and swimwear, right through to her recent collaboration with adidas.
The science bit: all her leather shoes and bags are made from Eco Alter Nappa, AKA veggie leather, which uses renewable materials and cuts down on methane emissions from tanneries. Elsewhere, she uses viscose, a soft fibre made from dissolved wood pulp, recycled materials, like the regenerated nylon technology she uses in partnership with ECONYL, and most recently, a new ground-breaking partnership with Bolt Threads, who are themselves pushing the boundaries of fabric innovation by working with bioengineered silk. We’re not entirely sure what this all means – but mark our words – this is important stuff. All of us here at Ten offer a huge congratulations to Stella and her team.
Photograph by Jason Lloyd Evans
