Fashion Heroes : Stella McCartney
Her father may have been the lead singer of The Beatles but Stella McCartney is her own person and not living in his shadow. The British designer, known for her eponymous label, is often credited for bring eco-conscious fashion into the forefront.
She is renowned for her sharp, simple tailoring with a feminine edge and considerate approach to wearable design. "It's not about what it looks like in the studio or on the runway," she once told WWD. "It's what it looks like on a real person that matters. That isn't easy, but it's what's fun."
The younger McCartney, just like her mother Linda, is an avid supporter of animal rights and a strict vegetarian. Her designs lack the use of leather or fur and most of the pieces in her collections are made from vinyl, plastic, raffia or fabric.
Blazer & Trouser Set
Wooden Wedges
A champion of the sustainable fashion movement, McCartney strives to design clothes that are meant to last. "I believe in creating pieces that aren’t going to get burnt, that aren’t going to landfills, that aren’t going to damage the environment. For every piece in every collection, I am always asking what have we done to make this garment more sustainable and what else can we do. It is a constant effort to improve".
McCartney says on her website: "I was brought up as a vegetarian on an organic farm in the English countryside way, so it kind of came very naturally to me. However, the decision not to use leather or fur is not just because I don’t eat animals or that I think that millions of animals each year shouldn’t be killed for the sake of fashion. It’s because I also believe in the connection between fur and leather and the environment."
Braided Sandals by Stella McCartney
Sports Jacket with Ruffled Sleeves
STELLA MCCARTNEY, ACCORDING TO VOGUE
- In 2004, she designed clothes for Madonna'sRe-Invention tour, Annie Lennox's summer tour, and Gwyneth Paltrow and Jude Law's costumes for the film Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow.
- She launched a joint-venture line with Adidas, establishing a long-term partnership with the corporation, in September 2004. The collection, called simply Adidas by Stella McCartney, has since grown to include a wide range of different sportswear including yoga, tennis, winter sports and golf.
- She has spoken many times about her support of animal rights. "People in fashion just don't want to hear the messages," she told the Guardian in 2009. "I find it astounding, because fashion is supposed to be all about change - I mean, we're supposed to be at the cutting edge! I can only think that they don't care as much as people in other industries. So, yes, I think people in fashion are pretty heartless."
AS SEEN ON CELEBRITIES
Shop our curated collection of Stella McCartney pieces to kickstart your sustainable fashion lifestyle.
