Well-known as a vegan luxury fashion house, Stella McCartney has worked without leather, fur, skins, feathers or animal glues since launching in 2001. This week at Paris Fashion Week, the brand took its cause further and made an eccentric statement to support its stance on animal rights. The show was a jungle, with people walking the runway in lifesize costumes of two rabbits, a fox, a horse, two cows and a crocodile, alongside the models. The animal costumes were the kind we usually see at children’s parties or festivals.
While there were many stars in the front row, the animals stole the show. The aim behind the optics was to convey an animal rights message in a way that is digestible for people. There are animals on every runway; it’s just that they’re always dead and the message of this showcase was to save them. The collection even featured many leather alternatives to highlight the use of animal-free leather.
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Being vegan has become somewhat of a USP for the brand, where it adds to the already praiseworthy collections that it makes. However, after merging with LVMH, Stella McCartney has faced criticism for joining forces with a brand who’s CEO labelled Greta Thunberg as “demoralisingâ€. However, designer Stella McCartney insists that the impact will be the other way round, with LVMH becoming more aware and sustainable.
