During Paris Fashion Week, British designer Stella McCartney used her runway show to launch a bold appeal for protecting the oceans. The event, held in the British ambassador’s gardens amid rain, featured celebrity guest Jennifer Lopez in the front row.
War on the Oceans
McCartney framed the fashion industry’s relationship with seafood as a conflict, stating, “It’s war. We’re at war with the oceans.” She questioned who decides to label marine creatures as “seafood” rather than “sea life,” and warned that many fishing nets unintentionally capture dolphins, octopuses and other marine mammals, with most of the catch discarded dead.
Sustainable Design
The collection’s palette evoked the sea with shades of seafoam, sage, coral, blush and chocolate. Designs included oversized blazers with drawstrings, rain‑jacket details, and peplums that moved like water. Models walked to PJ Harvey’s “Down by the Water,” reinforcing the marine theme.
Materials were marketed as 100% responsible: recycled cotton denim, organic cotton, silk, and a black pigment derived from algae instead of oil. Certified wool was traceable to its farm, and McCartney highlighted a new wool alternative, Brewed Protein, produced by Japanese biotech firm Spiber.
Industry Collaboration
In a recent partnership, McCartney co‑founded the Climate Pledge Fashion Coalition with Amazon and the forest nonprofit Canopy, uniting more than 60 companies to scale sustainable fabrics. She also noted that she bought back LVMH’s minority stake in her label and continues to advise Bernard Arnault on sustainability matters.
After the show, McCartney took a bow in jeans, a white T‑shirt and a roomy blazer, signaling a down‑to‑earth approach to high fashion. When asked about the focus of the show, she redirected the conversation back to the clothing, emphasizing that the garments themselves are the strongest argument for her environmental message.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
