The 21st century ushered in a new era for the luxury market. Until then, luxury was defined by the image of a trusted product born from high quality and craftsmanship backed by tradition. While this approach to craftsmanship remains unchanged today, a brand philosophy that takes environmental and humanitarian issues into consideration has been added to the definition of luxury.
Stella McCartney founded her eponymous brand in partnership with Kering in 2001. She has gained popularity by proposing a new era of fashion that combines a naturally confident, sexy femininity with the tailoring she learned at Savile Row. A lifelong vegetarian, Stella has avoided the use of leather or fur in any of her items, including clothing, bags, and shoes, since the brand's inception, developing eco-friendly alternative materials. Some items are made with organic cotton. Stella's awareness has evolved to include proactive engagement with environmental issues, and starting with her Fall 2014 collection, she launched a project to use sustainable wool specially produced in accordance with new standards of sustainability.
This sustainable wool project was made possible through a partnership between Stella McCartney and The Nature Conservancy, the largest nonprofit conservation organization in the United States that protects the ecosystems made up of the Earth's flora and fauna and the soil and water they require. It is also made possible through a partnership between Stella McCartney and Orvis XXI, which promotes sustainable grazing and the production of high-quality wool in the Patagonia region spanning Argentina and Chile.
Items made using this sustainable wool will be featured in the Fall 2014 collection and will be available in stores from late July. A monochrome cape (401,000 yen) and dress (197,000 yen) featuring a combination of large and small houndstooth patterns feature charming fringe at the hemline. Wool from sheep raised on farmed land, healthy soil, and watered pastures not only provides comfort, but also demonstrates the arrival of an era in which sustainable luxury is embraced.
François-Henri Pinault, Chairman and CEO of the Kering Group, to which Stella McCartney belongs, has stated that "sustainable business is smart business," and has called on the entire group to embrace sustainable business practices. In Newsweek's 2014 Green Companies ranking, Kering ranked fourth out of 500 companies in the overall category and first out of the same 500 companies in the consumer goods category (businesses selling non-essential goods and services, such as retail, media, apparel, and automobiles), drawing global attention.
Even within the Kering Group, Stella McCartney's awareness of sustainability is strong, and she plays a leading role in the group's development of materials that incorporate environmental conservation. Moreover, Stella McCartney can be said to be ushering in a new era by offering top fashion and running a sustainable business.
