Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Stella McCartney Just Became More Sustainable Than Ever-Here’s How

Stella McCartney Just Became More Sustainable Than Ever-Here’s How

The British designer speaks to “Vogue” about her landmark pre-fall collection in the 20th year of her eponymous brand.

“Animals are our equals”: That’s the message Stella McCartney wanted to convey through her pre-fall photo shoot and nature mockumentary, Autumn, which was shot by Mert and Marcus and premieres on Vogue on June 14. Models are dressed in the collection wearing toy animal heads as they roam around London “rewilding” its streets, a testament to the fact that the brand has been leather and fur-free for 20 years. To put the impact of that commitment into context, the 1 million-plus vegan Falabella bags that have been sold since the style launched in fall 2009 would have needed the hides of 400,000 cows if they had been made of leather.

What makes Autumn a particularly significant benchmark in the history of Stella McCartney, though, is that it’s the designer’s most sustainable collection yet, made using 80% eco-conscious materials-from the organic cotton of the patchwork trousers down to the beechwood soles of the shoes. Through the vibrant and sundry color story, McCartney says she wanted to create a sense of freshness and optimism, reflecting the time of year the collection is being released-spring-a season “filled with so much hope.” The athleticism introduced through the fanny packs, skiwear-inspired dresses, and tracksuits, meanwhile, is intended to “encourage people [to go] outside and celebrate life.”

Speaking from her home in the English countryside, McCartney joined us on Zoom to tell us how she is continuing to shrink her brand’s impact on the planet and why the future of fashion is fur-free.



Liam Freeman: The campaign addresses serious issues in a lighthearted way-how effective is humor in getting people to engage in more eco-friendly practices and to stop wearing fur?


Stella McCartney: I’ve always looked to humor to keep me sane and not take the world of fashion too seriously. When you’re dealing with such an important subject as the ethical treatment of animals or the environment, sometimes you’ve got to lighten the touch and find positivity, otherwise the issues we are facing get really depressing. At Stella, humor is at the core of the brand; we’ve been talking about these subjects from day one and it’s only recently that people haven’t felt uncomfortable or defensive about it. Humor makes the messaging easier to digest.

Comedian David Walliams does the campaign film voiceover. How did this collaboration come about?


The concept of the campaign was about animals reclaiming urban areas that have been taken away from them without any consideration. During lockdown, airplanes weren’t flying, fewer cars were on the road, and some of us were lucky enough to get out of the city; we could hear the birds singing. There was respect for nature living alongside us, which we’re normally too busy to acknowledge. I wanted a comedic David Attenborough-esque voiceover for the film. When I shared the idea with David [Walliams], whom I’ve known forever, he loved it and didn’t hesitate. He has such an instantly recognizable voice—another reason to have him on board.



Rewilding is a theme in the campaign and charity Rewilding Britain is calling for 30% of the land and sea to be restored for nature by 2030. What have been your own experiences of rewilding?


I grew up on an organic farm, and now have a farm of my own, which I spent three years turning into a Soil Association–certified organic farm. One of the first things we did was expand the headland so there were wild areas between the hedges and the crops, where nature could have a home. I’ve never understood why humans feel we have the right to take over everything. It’s great that rewilding is not only bringing animals, but like-minded people together.

You are helping to drive a petition with the Humane Society to ban fur farming worldwide. Do you think we can cultivate a fur-free fashion industry?


I know we can; it’s just whether there’s enough will. So many brands are going fur-free, which is a huge step in the right direction, but it’s not enough-fur is still being used at every level of the industry. While big fur coats are reserved for a specific customer at a specific price point, fur trims and key chains are everywhere and they often come from wild rather than farmed animals. It’s the opposite of glamorous; the way the animals are farmed and killed is barbaric, so why do it? Especially when the alternatives are so realistic. Faux fur is often made from material such as modacrylic, which isn’t kind to the planet. Our KOBA fur-free fur is made with almost 40% plant-based materials and it’s recyclable. We all have the power to make significant change-one of the easiest things we can do is to stop buying and wearing fur, then there will be no demand.



Your “Autumn” collection is made from 80% environmentally friendly materials. What are some of the textile developments you are most excited about?


For “Autumn,” I was set on using as much of our remnants as possible; now we’ve pretty much used them all up, so I’m figuring out whose waste we’re going to use next. All of our nylon and polyester is recycled, and all our bags, including the Frayme, which we are launching this season, are vegan and have aluminum chains that can easily be recycled. Every year, 150 million trees are cut down to make fabric-our dresses are made from forest-friendly viscose, which can be traced back to certified forests in Sweden-no ancient or endangered forests are destroyed. It should be illegal to cut down a tree without replanting one.

What does sustainability mean to you?


As an industry, we have to measure our environmental footprint, and at Stella, our goal is to reduce that footprint, not to replace it. In order to be truly sustainable in any business, your model has to have self-imposed limitations. We aren’t perfect by any means and we are always looking to improve our means of sourcing. Right now, for example, we are running regenerative farming pilot tests.



Do you think that COVID-19 being a zoonotic disease and the culling of millions of mink has made people more mindful about the treatment of animals?


The response to the mink was interesting because they were being bred to be killed-the only difference was it happened in one fell swoop and they weren’t turned into fur trims. COVID spread around the world very quickly and made us realize we are all connected. Unfortunately, I think the economy will always take higher precedence than COP26 [the U.N. climate change conference due in Glasgow, in November] for most governments. And I think the changes will come from an effort to improve human rights-the chemicals being used to make PVC being cancerous for instance, or raising the minimum wage and finally eradicating child labor-rather than animal welfare. Personally, the past year has made me want to reduce our impact on the environment even more fiercely.


AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
Intel Reports Revenue Beats but Sees 81% Rise in Losses
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
Tulsi Gabbard Unveils Evidence Alleging Political Manipulation of Intelligence During Trump Administration
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Trump Announces Coca-Cola to Shift to Cane Sugar in U.S. Production
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
Moonshot AI Unveils Kimi K2: A New Open-Source AI Model
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
×