Stella McCartney: A success without making fashion victims out of animals
In a nondescript building tucked away on a quiet street in west London, Stella McCartney and her team are comparing the properties of a real leather shoe with the various non-leather swatches being considered for her brand’s winter 2015 shoe collection.
Women of differing ages, ethnicities and body types come in and out of the room with a constant flow of new ideas while McCartney acts as a kind of real-time editor, deciding what colours, materials and shapes feel right for the upcoming season.
An assistant is frantically taking notes to capture her feedback while snapping digital photos of the things that catch her eye.
McCartney does not use any animal products — no leather, no fur, no skins, no feathers.
“We always have this conversation about our non-leathers. We are, of course, the most ethical and loving company in the fashion industry,” she says half-joking, almost mocking herself, “but at this stage I always have to apologise to my designers and creative team for the limitations [this creates].”
Her business was launched in 2001 in a 50-50 joint venture with Kering, the French luxury conglomerate formerly known as PPR and before that Gucci Group.
By: IMRAN AMED
Source: London Evevning Standard
