My Favourite Fashion Brand: Stella McCartney <3
An embroidered satin evening dress bears the riches associated with traditional French Fashion, but the proportions belong to the modern age. Chloé showed the first collect by Stella McCartney (selected as head designer of the house in 1997 at only 25, her appointment was seen by some as a precocious one) in the opulent setting of the Opéra Garnier in Paris. McCartney had worked previously for Lacroix and was influenced by finds made in London’s Portobello Market where she would gather antique buttons and vintage clothes. Her skill in tailoring is attribute to a short apprenticeship with Edward Sexton, a Savile Row tailor. As testament to her solidified reputation McCartney was asked to design the Team GB uniforms for the London 2012 Olympic Games in collaboration with Adidas. She was also awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2013 New Year’s honours list.
Tom Ford once proclaimed that “Stella’s style has been influential because she is her customer”. Stella agreed with Tom as she explained to Vogue in 2004 that “I’m always designing what I want to wear”. This is why Stella McCartney is my favourite fashion brand, she has always since day one created a brand with her morals and core values at the very forefront and as an upright priority for all of her products, in order to stay true to herself and her values and not to increase sales. As Stella once stated that “I don’t want people to buy my stuff because its not leather…I just want them to buy the boots”.
Furthermore, responsible luxury has always been Stella’s calling; she grew up on an organic farm and has been a life-long vegetarian; which is portrayed in her brand through the fact that she refuses to use real leather, feathers, skins and/or fur in any of her products; aiming for everything she creates to be ethical and elegant. She has always been an advocate for animal welfare and the environment as has her own luxury fashion brand by the same name. In September 2019, she launched a collaboration with Hunter and more recently and perhaps more bizarrely, Adidas and their Stan Smith range. This Adidas by Stella range launched the first ever garments made with Evrnu’s Nucycle yarn and KOBA fur free fur; a sustainable, recyclable animal alternative made from recycled polyester and plant-based plastic.
Moreover, Stella McCartney is aimed at women around 25-45. Young consumers that are into business with an androgynous look. Their income would be middle to high due to the price of the luxury products. A Stella consumer would typically be fashion forward with an interest in the same values as the brand.
These values include both environmental and social sustainability. For example Stella’s brand follow the UN Guiding Principles on business and human rights and believes that the supply chain should be treated with upright respect and dignity; through fair wages of manufacture workers who are all valued equally, and also that the supply chain should build modern and resilient that provide desirable jobs, foster people skills, strengthened worker’s voices and advocate vulnerable groups. This is supported by Stella following International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions and best industry practices.
In addition, in 2019, a new set of polices and guidelines to suppliers were set shared outlining Stella McCartney’s requirements and expectations relating to their values and commitment to social sustainability. It included: supplier code of conduct, responsible sourcing guide, modern slavery act and subcontracting policies.
Adding to this, Stella McCartney is known as a luxury brand which is priced highly. However this is due to the high quality of her products and the high standards of her materials which are ethically sourced and originated and also her high standards for ensuring her supply chain is totally fair and moral. As Stella’s supply chain is predominantly composed of small workshops that specialise in specific, specialised techniques and processes. Additionally many of Stella’s suppliers have worked alongside her since she founded her brand in 2001. In 2019, Stella collaborated with 77 manufacturing suppliers and 400 tier 2 product suppliers globally.