This year marks Stella McCartney’s 25th anniversary in the fashion industry. Her long-lasting success can be partly attributed to her deep understanding that her clientele is diverse and varied. McCartney designs versatile clothing that seamlessly transitions from a workout class to a morning meeting, or from an airport to a cocktail party with minimal adjustments. As she prepares to discuss her resort collection via FaceTime, McCartney is seen moving from her office to her car, searching for her keys in a handbag made of a new velvety vegan suede. “I’ll start driving soon—once I can find my car keys,” she laughed.
While the concept of outfits transitioning from day to night might seem overused, McCartney continually reinvents it. Her focus each season revolves around questions such as: “What does a woman wear when she’s dressed by a woman? How can we truly serve our customers in terms of their wardrobe?” This season features her signature oversized tailoring, along with more fitted silhouettes influenced by the fluid cuts of her graduate collection suits. She also revisited velvet fabrics, creating sharp blazers simply because she wanted a new velvet suit for herself. “I don’t have anything like it, if you can believe that,” she remarked. “Having designed for what feels like my entire life, you would think I have everything. But not that, so I’m excited.”
McCartney’s understanding of her customer is a key aspect of her success: she designs for herself as well. “I like genuinely helping women solve some of their wardrobe challenges,” she explained. “And I don’t want to have to go home and change if I don’t have to.” This mindset is evident in her collection of clever one-and-done dresses in striking black-and-white and a vivid blue reminiscent of Anish Kapoor’s work. Designed to look fresh after being packed, some pieces are adorned with chiffon shoulders or tulle necklines, eliminating the need for jewelry. Her personal touches, a mix of sentimentality and humor, are seen in items like lead-free crystal-embellished bags inspired by prisms her mother used to hang, and knits with a playful “Hi Hi Hi” motif inspired by a sweater her father wore in the ’70s. “I just love the double entendre of that,” she added. “I think it’s hilarious.”
The collection also brings a sense of edginess and allure. For instance, the first look in the lookbook features Brazilian model Cailane Oliveira in a typically masculin-fĂ©minin ensemble. Oliveira, who opened McCartney’s fall show in Paris, poses powerfully in a loose white office shirt and belted vegan leather trousers, exuding confidence. A closer look reveals McCartney’s playful side with British woodland critters adorning the “forest-friendly” viscose shirt. “She’s definitely got a kick to her,” McCartney commented with a smile.
McCartney’s commitment to sustainability continues with the introduction of new eco-friendly materials in her previous runway collection, such as cruelty-free feathers and CO2-absorbing denim. She used the resort collection to further develop these sustainable practices. “You never truly feel like you’ve finished a collection,” she noted. “Each season, I think: Why are you doing it if you’re not perfecting what you do?” Currently, she is exploring how to incorporate deadstock materials in various categories, including knits and silk, provided there’s enough fabric available to produce them fully. “If they can’t take it all the way from sample to manufacture, then that doesn’t count as deadstock to me,” she stated.
Among the collection’s highlights are the vibrant garter-stitch scarves made from deadstock, embodying the celebratory spirit of McCartney’s 25th anniversary, or “Stella-bration” season. Her deep understanding of sustainable fashion allows her to infuse her work with joy and creativity.
