By Erin Moonyeen Haley
As part of her company’s mission statement, Stella McCartney has made it emphatically clear that hers is a vegetarian company, eschewing the use of fur, skins, leather or feathers in order to not “compromise on desirability or sustainability and that holds us accountable to our values”. But McCartney goes beyond token environmentalism; she is the polar opposite of fast fashion, being hyperaware when it comes to the origins of fabrics, thereby refusing to use cotton from nations that exploit child labor such as Syria, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
That awareness was front and center at her outdoor show for Paris Fashion Week on October 3, 2022 in the courtyard of the Centre Pompidou.
Proudly calling herself an ‘eco-weirdo’, McCartney’s show notes detailed “environmental costs related to using hides, water use, Amazon deforestation and carcinogenic tanning chemicals.” Taking things a step further, she also accessorized her “collection courtesy of an innovative technology that turns grape skins into mock leather.” With the use of regenerative cotton and exclamations of color tempered with tans and sierras, designs that featured the slogan ‘change history’ were reflective of McCartney’s belief in making fashion and sustainability intertwined themes.
Meanwhile, the layout of the show was a result of her collaboration with Yoshitomo Nara, echoing a punk aesthetic, but with a slightly day-glow edge.
Across the runway, oversized business jackets cut grandiose silhouettes while gold chain tops from her Chloé spring 2000 collection were recycled for the show, perfectly dovetailing the planet awareness theme.
Camel-colored jackets and slacks were also on display, along with bejeweled, sheer negligee dresses and fishnet stockings.
The Hadid sisters were also on hand, with Paris Fashion Week’s ‘It’ girl Bella strutting in a skimpy tuxedo vest,
as well as a sheer catsuit.
In the end, the color and fabric of every look made it clear that the environment and sustainability were as front and center as the A-list coterie of models and attending celebs.
Images courtesy of Vogue Runway.
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