Stella McCartney celebrates 20 years of cruelty-free fashion with the launch of her most sustainable collection to date. This week, the British designer unveiled her autumn 2021 campaign, ‘Our time has come’, alongside a tongue-in-cheek film narrated by comedian David Walliams and starring fashion-clad ‘animals’
The fantastical campaign, shot by photographer duo Mert and Marcus, sees models dressed as animals ‘rewilding’ the famous landmarks of London. Parrots, pigeons, rabbits and bears explore the capital dressed in Stella McCartney’s autumn 2021 collection, including sustainable luxury pieces embodying ‘J is for Joy’ from McCartney’s A to Z Manifesto.
Created to promote the message that all animals are equal, the shoot and accompanying film support Humane Society International’s (HSI) petition to end the fur trade. “While this campaign is light-hearted, I wanted to address a serious issue: ending the use of fur,” says Stella McCartney. “Whether it is being sold here in the United Kingdom or farmed globally, barbarism knows no borders and this effort is key to my life’s mission of bringing a conscience to the fashion industry.”
McCartney is one of fashion’s most vocal anti-cruelty champions. Since the brand’s launch in 2001, Stella McCartney has never used leather, feathers, fur, skins and animal glues. For the last 20 years, the British fashion house has been a pioneer of sustainable textile solutions and has consistently introduced and promoted fresh alternatives. The brand was one of the first to start experimenting with innovative textiles such as ECONYL regenerated nylon and forest-friendly viscose, as well as solvent-free PU and repurposed old-stock fabrics, with the aim of reaching circularity.
By going cruelty-free, the vegan Falabella bags alone, which have sold over 1 million, have prevented the deaths of approximately 400,000 cows. But with statistics revealing that a shocking 96 million animals are killed in fur farms around the world annually, there’s more to be done. With the launch of her autumn 2021 campaign, McCartney hopes to encourage industry leaders to sign Humane Society International’s Stop Deadly Fur petition, which aims to bar fur farming around the world. “I am proud to partner with Humane Society International and to help raise awareness of the incredible work they do – please join us in ending this horrendous practice by signing their petitions now,” she urges.
“Stella McCartney’s inspiring leadership on fur-free fashion is second to none, so we are thrilled to partner with her on this exciting new initiative calling for a global end to fur cruelty,” says Jeffrey Flocken, president of Humane Society International. “Millions of animals on fur factory farms endure deprivation and pain for the fur trade, and animals trapped and drowned in the wild suffer terribly too – simply for fashion items no-one needs. We’re proud to stand with Stella McCartney and her celebrity advocates to say it’s time to call time on fur.”
Stella McCartney’s autumn 2021 collection, made with 80% eco-friendly materials, is the fashion house’s most sustainable to date. It features a colourful selection of ready-to-wear and accessories, including bold new designs on classic styles such as a Maxi edition of the Falabella, which is playfully oversized.
Discover the collection, available from 14 June, at stellamccartney.com and Stella McCartney, 23 Old Bond Street, Mayfair, London, W1S 4PZ
Sign the Stop Deadly Fur petition at action.hsi.org
