GLIMMER OF HOPE

British designer STELLA MCCARTNEY has been at the forefront of creating environmentally conscious high fashion for the past two decades, long before the word “sustainable” was even part of the industry lexicon. As a vegan and an animal lover, not only has McCartney never used real fur in her designs but she has also been a pioneer in state-of-the-art leather alternatives, including MIRIUM (a plastic-free plant-based circular material), AppleSkin (made from apple waste) and Mylo (mushroom based). She recently collaborated with Radiant Matter, a company developing eco-friendly textile solutions, to create her brand’s first-ever jumpsuit crafted with BioSequins—plastic-free biodegradable and non-toxic sequins made from a plant-derived cellulose that uses no metals, minerals or synthetic pigments or colourants. Often overlooked due to its small size, the sequin has a cumulative environmental impact that is, in reality, very big, which is why this alternative is a game-changer for the fabrication of every garment that glitters or shines. “I am amazed by the iridescent beauty of our BioSequin all-in-one, handcrafted in my London atelier [with these] sequins that are even more stunning than conventional options,” says McCartney on her website about the innovation. “Who says sustainability can’t be sexy?” We can’t help but agree. Worn here by eco activist Cara Delevingne and photographed by Annie Leibovitz for Vogue U.S., the jumpsuit is a shining example of the future of green fashion.