Stella McCartney Resort 2025

“When I walk into a room, I don’t want my clothes to scream, but at the same time, I don’t want to wear anything that comprises who I am.” Stella McCartney was describing the ‘delicate’ balancing act of designing as a woman, for women. It’s a subject which is rightly coming under renewed scrutiny, mainly because so many women creative directors have been replaced by men lately.

The fact that McCartney has been designing for her peer group basically since she was made creative director at Chloé in 1997—when she was 26—gives her no little authority on these matters. (Plus the trust she’s built with like-minded customers through her pioneering of transparency and accountability in fashion production, and campaigning for animal rights, of course.) “Well,” she shrugged, with a small laugh, “I have been doing this a while.”

McCartney’s staying-power is surely attributable to remaining true to her identity and all its facets—traces of which are imprinted as much on her pre-collections as her runways. “There’s a relationship with the show, but it’s done with as much work and love.” There’s her tailoring—big-shouldered pantsuits, and coats this time—her sensuously-wrapped dresses, her love of nature, and then, of course, “Horses! Because I can’t help myself.”

The horsey American McCartney shows up in a shadowy green print of a stampede “running across a dustbowl – across your dress or pajamas.” Also in the faux-leather chaps implanted in a pair of jeans. “We’ve been doing well with them. And I’m proud of the denim.” (According to her scrupulous PR notes: Her denim production is “mainly of
GOTS standard cotton (Global Organic Textile Standard), which follows strict environmental criteria and uses lower water and chemicals and natural measures to control pests and diseases.” What’s more: the seeds to plant the cotton aren’t genetically modified, like usual cotton. “We also use Regenerative Agriculture Cotton which restores bio diversity and improves soil health, whilst also improving the welfare of the farmers and local communities through additional revenue streams.”

Botanical embroideries celebrate wild flowers and plants that thrive when humans get out of the way. “I’m a country-girl at heart. And you know, I love being there in the spring—that’s what these flowers mean to me. Poppies, buttercups, and daisies. Flowers that aren’t cultivated.”

Amongst the extensive range of wardrobe solutions (a nonchalantly elegant scarf-necked, slightly caped top stands out) McCartney also contrived a definite branding exercise. The chunky metal chains knitted into the scoop of a gray knit tank and running down the outside leg of jeans clearly echo and celebrate the famous silver-like chains that edge her Falabella non-leather signature bags. There were leather industry scoffers that she’d never be able to make a faux leather luxury handbag when McCartney launched the Falabella in 2010. It’s now a universally recognized classic, toted everywhere. Is Stella celebrating her 15th anniversary of being right about it? She didn’t say so, but she’d certainly deserve to, upcycled and recyclable aluminum chains, and all.