Stella McCartney on Designing for the Modern Woman
Stella McCartney poses a question to me, one which I do not have an answer to: "Do you know what viscose are made of? People don't," she says. "And the new idea of luxury is knowing where your fashion comes from too."
Her eponymous brand just turned 11, and is one of the few luxury brands that commits to a cruelty-free trade, promoting sustainability and eco-consciousness. So passionate to change she is, that the brand's Winter '17 campaign was shot in a landfill to illustrate the fashion industry's wastage.
But just how would the Stella McCartney brand stand in this time and age, where the sheer basis of luxury denotes having to own an exotic leather bag, a plush mink coat or both? We caught up with the effervescence designer at her recent rooftop party at the roof of Andaz Tokyo to chat about sustainability, fashion, and more.
What are your favourite pieces from the collections?
I'm a big fan of the Falabella bag. It is one of the pieces that i've used for many years and it makes a good investment piece because of how timeless the design is. I also like the Elyse shoes. They give you like three inches of height with absolute comfort. Our newest release, the Eclypse sneaker takes on a sporty vibe.
What is the hardest part about designing for women today?
To deliver in design and to be sustainable in fashion is not something that comes easily, but we try. Majority of fashion works in a traditional way. For example, it's not easy if I want to produce something with sequins. Sequins are made up of PVC, an oil-based material that is cancerous to the people handling the material during production. There's a limitation to the design aspect, and the world is yet not ready for it.
