Stella McCartney, LVMH come together

French luxury goods group LVMH Monday announced a tie-up with Stella McCartney, just months after the British designer known for her animal-friendly ethics ended a longterm partnership with the giant’s arch-rival Kering.

LVMH, which owns fashion labels including Givenchy, Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior, gave no financial details, though it said McCartney would have majority ownership of her namesake label and stay on as creative chief.

Like industry rivals, LVMH has been increasingly vaunting its environmental credentials at a time when young shoppers in particular have shown a penchant for “greener” fashion and an interest in issues such as brands’ use of animal fur. McCartney, daughter of former Beatle Paul McCartney, has long been known as a trailblazer in this area, relying on imitation leather for her handbags or participating in initiatives to promote the second-hand luxury market. “A decisive factor was that she was the first to put sustainability and ethical issues on the front stage, very early on,” LVMH’s billionaire boss Bernard Arnault said of the deal in a statement. The designer will advise LVMH’s executive committee on these matters, the group added.

But LVMH’s swoop also ramps up the competition with Kering.

The group — run by another French billionaire, Francois-Henri Pinault — is still a lot smaller than LVMH, which also owns champagne labels. But its crown jewel is Gucci, a brand long coveted by LVMH, and Kering had helped McCartney develop her brand over a 17-year joint venture.

That only ended when she fully bought back her 50 percent stake this March.