PARIS (Reuters) – British designer Stella McCartney presented her comfortable and elegant looks for next winter with a playful touch on Monday, while animal mascots, including a large white rabbit, joined the models on the runway for Paris fashion.
A model presents a creation by designer Stella McCartney as part of her women’s ready-to-wear Fall / Winter 2020/21 fashion show during Paris Fashion Week in Paris, France, March 2, 2020. REUTERS / Piroschka van from Wouw
People dressed in fox, crocodile, and cow costumes stole the show in the joyous finale, causing smiles among renowned guests, including Vogue editor Anna Wintour and actress Shailene Woodley.
McCartney has long been known for her eco-friendly approach and was one of the first great designers to avoid animal products – a cause that many others have since tackled, though rarely so ironically .
“There has never been a time when we have had more hope of ending the fashionable use of fur and leather – a practice that is cruel to animals and harmful to the planet”, McCartney said in the show’s notes.
A pioneer in the use of recycled fabrics, the designer uses vegan leather in her latest collection, including a perforated raincoat and long amber brown jackets.
The models presented fluffy outerwear and comfortable dresses, with lots of lumberjacks and checkered prints. Some coats were even more hairy and appeared to be wearing mini-dreadlocks.
High-necked coats, utility tunics and loose-fitting suits also appeared as McCartney adapted the mixed feminine and masculine codes in an androgynous and minimalist style.
In some of the most party-ready looks, McCartney offered silky, flowing dresses adorned with luxurious patterns of metallic pearls, presented in the corridors of the opulent Garnier opera house.
Gold or silver animal jewelry, including necklaces and brooches, added an eccentric touch to some outfits.
The Stella McCartney brand has joined the French luxury goods group LVMH, after a long-standing partnership with the conglomerate’s competitor Kering.
Report by Laetitia Volga, edited by Sarah White and Ed Osmond
