WHAT STELLA DID NEXT
MORE THAN 20 YEARS AFTER SHE BURST ONTO THE FASHION SCENE, STELLA MCCARTNEY IS STILL DOING WHAT SHE DOES BEST: SHOWING US ALL THAT YOU DON’T HAVE TO SACRIFICE STYLE TO SAVE THE PLANET
AS THE DAUGHTER OF A BEATLE
(Sir Paul, to us), Stella Mccartney could have lived an idle life of luxury – all long lunches and international shopping sprees – if that’s what she wanted. But what she truly desired was something much bigger than that kind of life. What she wanted was nothing less than leading a fashion revolution.
From her very first collection, the lifelong vegetarian has avoided using leather, fur and other animal products in her clothing. And while critics once dismissed this as a gimmick, it’s clear she was 10 steps ahead of us all. Nowadays, ethical fashion is becoming the norm – and we have Mccartney to thank for that.
The first designer to truly bridge the gap between eco-conscious and fashion-conscious, Mccartney recently bought back the 50 per cent stake of her business owned by global conglomerate Kering (her original co-founder in a joint venture agreement). After all, when you’re leading the revolution, you’ve got to do it your way.
For the first time ever, you showed both women’s and men’s wear at your autumn/winter 18 -19 Paris show. What was the inspiration behind this? Stella Mccartney:
It was the right time, and it felt very natural. When we were doing the fittings, both men and women wanted to wear each other’s
clothes, “I want this jacket!”, “I want this shirt!” We are not forcing anything in terms of masculinity or femininity. I started this brand with the boyfriend jacket so it’s a question of transferring that [to] men now. Actually, I often buy menswear suits for myself!
Your mother, Linda, wore masculine suits. How did this model your vision of femininity?
Massively! Both my mother and my father influenced me through their wardrobes: this is the foundation of everything I do. Seeing my mother’s wardrobe and bespoke tailoring and seeing my dad on stage with such ornamental clothes was a massive influence. When I visited [my Dad’s] archive, I thought it was my mother’s! If you see pictures of the ’70s, what my dad is wearing is very feminine, very soft… I really wanted to capture that and allow men to express themselves.
From the beginning, your brand’s been on the ethical frontline. Do you think the rest of the fashion world has followed your lead?
There’s less resistance now. Before, it was unconventional and I was almost mocked because of my beliefs. But I have maintained my approach in the fashion industry. I can’t compromise that in the house. Today customers demand transparency in every part of their life, a level of commitment. I think I stand for that in fashion: I am probably the only person having this conversation of consciousness from the beginning, being conscious of how many animals we are killing and the impact on the environment. Today, all the houses are waking up to what matters, it is less alien: maybe we can source and manufacture things in a better way, maybe we can be more responsible and accountable. It’s a good thing, of course.
Why has it taken so long for other brands to get to this point?
The industry is moving slowly because they make a lot of money with real leather. Their businesses [are] based on dead animals. This is the way they have been doing business for many years! The people that lead the business need to make money, [so] they don’t question it. The next generation, I pray, will demand more on every level. Actually, I can feel the evolution [now]. Older consumers will come to me and say: “I love the design, the shoes etc.”, which is amazing. But a younger person will say : “Thank you so much for what you stand for in the fashion industry”. They’ll talk about my approach about sustainability, caring for animals, my mindful approach to business. That gives me hope.
Is the technical challenge to not use leather, fur, skins and feathers still exciting?
Yes, I find it fascinating! I have a massive respect for the huge heritage of my industry, but it probably only uses 10 materials, which drains resources. It’s lazy. We don’t have to use so much water and kill so many animals. For example, we showed a brand new sneaker on the runway yesterday that doesn’t use any animal glue to hold it together. It’s an amazing innovation that’s taken about two years to develop. That, to me, is really cool.
Do you believe our desire for fast fashion can be overcome?
People feel they deserve to have new clothes, and fast. But it is not a good system; brands need to be kind to the people that produce for them. They need to do better in business; and consumers need to play their part, too.
You’re a longtime supporter of initiatives to stop violence against women, like the White Ribbon campaign. How do you feel about the Time’s Up movement?
I feel deeply sad to hear what is happening to women all around the world, as a woman and a mother of two young daughters. But at the same time, it is incredibly hopeful, inspiring and uplifting to see everybody unify, feel empowered and able to talk loudly. The movement can’t stop here: this is just the beginning. I am sure there are many women who have not talked yet. It is also about men: we must embrace them and not persecute those who are innocent. This is also why I put some men on the runway this season: to unify that conversation.
What’s next for you?
We need to be more accountable in the fashion industry, environmentally and humanly. I haven’t finished talking about any of that.