Stella McCartney is one of the pioneers of sustainable fashion brands. The brand has long been at the forefront of sustainability movement in fashion.
Offering feminine and sexy designs with detailed tailoring and sophisticated shapes, the Stella McCartney was founded by Stella McCartney, the fashion designer and sustainability activist after whom it is named. The daughter of Paul McCartney, guitarist and lead singer of the world-famous Beatles, and animal rights activist Linda Eastman, Stella was raised from an early age by her family with a love of nature and animals. Growing up with this philosophy, McCartney followed her passion for fashion, working at places such as Christian Lacroix and Vogue UK before becoming Creative Director of Chloé. In 1997, she reinvented the formerly unpopular Chloé brand with her innovative designs, attracting the attention of famous singers, models and fashion icons of the time such as Madonna, Naomi Campbell and Gwyneth Paltrow.
After coming to attention of Gucci with her reinvention of the Chloé, Stella received an offer from Gucci to create her own brand in 2001 and founded the world’s first sustainable luxury brand. Since 2006, she has been an industry leader in cruelty-free alternative materials, process innovation, circular goals, regenerative practices and community welfare with products created without fur, leather and other animal products.
Her wide range includes the iconic Falabella bag, the Elyse Platform Sneaker, and colorful and fun sportwear produced in collaboration with Adidas. Speaking of iconic styles, let’s note that Meghan Markles’s breathtaking high-necked elegant wedding dress by McCartney.
The Philosophy of Sustainability
As the perception of sustainability in fashion has increased, many brands have come under scrutiny. Although luxury brands appear to be more sustainable than “fast fashion” brands, they do not actually perform better. The use of animal skin and fur, human rights violations in supply chains, carbon footprints and lack of transparency on environmental issues show that luxury brands are behind in sustainability.
For Stella McCartney, sustainability means not only reducing the environmental impact of her own brand, but also taking steps to improve the whole industry. The brand attaches great importance to R&D and takes important steps to develop raw materials that increase the positive impact. Among the raw materials they use are 100 percent plant-based and plastic-free artificial furs, leather alternatives made from grape skins and bioenzymes that convert textile waste into recyclable polyester. The brand’s different raw material initiatives are also shared in detail on its website.
Stella McCartney does not stop there; she continues to make her voice heard on the global stage on sustainable fashion. Being the sustainability advisor of LVMH brand, including Louis Vuitton, McCartney supports new technologies by establishing a 200-million-dollar fund for pioneering startups developing climate solutions.
In addition to these initiatives, McCartney, who has made calls for the textile industry at global sustainability conferences called the Conference of Parties (COP), received the prestigious title of Commander of the British Empire (CBE) from the King of England and environmental activist King Charles.
Calling for the textile industry at the Conference of Parties (COP), McCartney received the prestigious title of Commander of the British Empire (CBE) from the King Charles.
Famous Collaborations
The brand is also known with its collaboration for sustainability projects.
Stella McCartney x Sacks
For 2024 Met Gala, luxury retail brand Saks has dedicated the windows of its flagship stores on New York’s Fifth Avenue to Stella McCartney’s exclusive eveningwear capsule. The limited-edition “Stellabration” collection features red carpet dresses selected from the British designer’s archive, crystal-embellished vegan accessories such as the brand’s Falabella bag and Elsa heels, recreated exclusively for Saks in midnight hues.
Stella McCartney x Vrai
The ecological disturbances, energy consumption and human rights violations required to access diamonds make sustainable diamond mining impossible. Stella designed the 2024 Met Gala outfits of celebrities such as Cara Delevingne, Ed Sheeran and FKA Twigs using diamonds grown in the lab by Vrai, creating red carpet looks that do not compromise on sustainability.
Stella McCartney x Veuve Clicquot
Following her Fall/Winter 2024 show at Paris Fashion Week, Stella McCartney has launched an innovative collaboration with French champagne house Veuve Clicquot. Vegan leather bags made from the grape skins left over from the production of Veuve Clicquot champagnes allow you to take your champagne everywhere. This collaboration stands out as a good example of creative partnerships between luxury brands.
