The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
There is a whiff of haute couture in the Angus air
Stella McCartney uses landfill site near Forfar as backdrop for new collection
The location could not be further from the beaches of Malibu or the catwalks of Paris.
Top British fashion designer Stella McCartney chose a far less glamorous location to photograph her latest collection – a landfill site in Angus.
It has emerged that striking images which show models dressed in £1,000 dresses against a backdrop of crisp packets, tattered newspapers and a rusting car were shot at Restenneth, near Forfar in June.
The designer, daughter of Beatle Paul McCartney, said the location stayed true to her commitment to sustainability and responsibility.
Angus Council’s communities director Alan McKeown added: “Reduce, reuse, Restenneth! The best recyclers, Angus Council, only attract the best designers to their landfill sites.”
The local authority’s economic development head Alison Smith described the images as “amazing”.
“Angus Council staff did a great job and Tay Screen sorted it all out.”
The designer intended the images to explore the issue of waste and consumption. More than half of the materials used in the collection are from sustainable sources.
Ms McCartney said: “The idea we had with this campaign is to portray who we want to be and how we carry ourselves; our attitude and collective path.
“Our man-made constructed environments are disconnected and unaware of other life and the planet which is why there is waste.”
The campaign images bring together Brit Kos, Iana Godnia and Huan Zhou.
A video also shows the models walking around the skip.
The photographs were taken by Harley Weir in collaboration with artist Urs Fischer.
Urs Fischer added: “Stella’s fashion to me is about dignity, love and a beautiful attitude to all challenges.
“All while feeling good and looking great and we wanted to reflect that in the concept of this campaign.”
Stella McCartney launched her fashion brand in 2001 following a stint as creative director of Paris fashion house Chloe.
Her designs have been worn by many famous faces including the Duchess of Cambridge, Taylor Swift, Emma Watson, Cameron Diaz and Emma Stone. She also designed the British kit for the London 2012 Olympics.