For Stella McCartney, fashion must ditch leather or die trying
The First Art Newspaper on the Net    Established in 1996 Sunday, October 6, 2024


For Stella McCartney, fashion must ditch leather or die trying
Britain's Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (R) speaks with British designer and sustainability advocate Stella McCartney as he views a fashion installation by the designer, at Kelvingrove Art Gallery in Glasgow, Scotland on November 3, 2021, during the COP26 Climate Conference. Focus at the COP26 summit turned to how the world will pay for its ambitions to quit fossil fuels and help vulnerable nations survive climate change, as campaigners urged caution over promises of billions from financiers and governments Wednesday. Owen Humphreys / POOL / AFP.

by Jordi Zamora



GLASGOW.- The fashion industry must prepare to eliminate waste and take radical stances such as ditching animal leather altogether, said British designer Stella McCartney.

In an interview with AFP on the sidelines of the UN climate summit in Glasgow Wednesday, McCartney said that fashion houses must "swap out bad business with good business" for the sake of the planet.

"Sadly we are one of the most harmful industries to the environment," she said.

"And I'm here to really kind of showcase the future of fashion and show everyone that basically there is another way and we have some solutions."

As the vegetarian daughter of Paul and Linda McCartney, she got a green head start in life, transferring her eco-friendly upbringing to fashion.

Despite initial scepticism from peers, McCartney has never used leather products since entering the industry three decades ago.

The Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery in Glasgow is holding an installation during COP26 showcasing the innovative, low-carbon materials used by McCartney over the years.

Celebrity visitors to the installation included Prince Charles and actor Leonardo DiCaprio, both of whom are outspoken on environmental issues.

They include mycelium, which can be extracted directly from fungus and used as an animal skin substitute for making bags and shoes.

Also on display is NuCycl, a technology its makers say is capable of making natural and synthetic textiles infinitely recyclable.

"We're hoping, definitely, that these are viable solutions and we just need to bring them to the world's attention," said McCartney.

'Viable solutions'

Fashion is the second largest manufacturing sector on Earth, responsible for up to 8 percent of all carbon emissions, according to research by the World Resources Institute.

The main challenge is getting more sustainable materials into clothes that will be worn by billions of people across the world.




"I mean, that's the intention," said McCartney.

"We're hoping, definitely that these are viable solutions and we just need to bring them to the world's attention."

McCartney once caused a stir with a video she released denouncing the mistreatment of animals within the industry, and extracts of that video were being shown at the exhibit.

"We need to let people know that, you know, hundreds of millions of animals are being killed every single year for fashion, for leather, for skins and animal glues," said McCartney.

Just as fashion tastes change over time, so are younger generations less willing to wear animal products, she said.

"I think we're in a moment though, where... we are becoming irrelevant very quickly and ... generation X, Y, and Z will not buy into bad fashion, evil fashion, dirty fashion."

'$500 bn of waste'

After three decades in the industry, McCartney spoke of the lessons she had learned about the waste created by designers' endless drive for innovation.

"People wear fast fashion maximum up to three times before they throw it away. And that's creating over $500 billion worth of waste," she said.

"That, for me, is a business opportunity. So I'm trying to flip everything around. Something like, 'Hey, you know what? You can take that waste. And I'll show you a hoodie that I can make completely out of waste.'"

As well as being more ethical and better for the planet, McCartney believes that animal substitutes have a much stronger selling point.

"We're replacing it with a better product. It's nicer for them to work with it," she said.

"Who wants to work in an abattoir?"


© Agence France-Presse










Today's News

November 4, 2021

Dutch museum opens entire collection in 'world first'

Eli Wilner releases the Price Guide for American and European Period Frames as a free download

Collection of nationally known Civil War collector James C. Frasca to be presented at Hindman Auctions

British Museum announces largest ever find of gold coins from Anglo-Saxon England

For Stella McCartney, fashion must ditch leather or die trying

South African Damon Galgut wins Booker Prize for 'The Promise'

Joan B Mirviss LTD presents over thirty-five works by Kawase Shinobu

From BTS to 'Squid Game': How South Korea became a cultural juggernaut

Renowned illustrator Barry Moser to be spotlighted by Hindman Auctions this November

Brazilian indigenous artist Jaider Esbell dead at 41

Perrotin opens Xavier Veilhan's exhibition Autofocus

Exhibition spotlights Outsider art by self-taught Florida artists

AIPAD announces new dates for 2022 Photography Show

Bortolami Gallery opens an exhibition of works by Ella Kruglyanskaya

Woody Auction announces the results of the sale of The Jochimsen collection

Phillips announces highlights from the New York sales of 20th Century & Contemporary Art

Allie Card joins as Senior Director at Lehmann Maupin

Michaan's auction calendar includes specialty sales of coins and historic costumes and textiles

Brilliant Tiffany Lamps dazzle at October auction

Young Senegalese author wins top French literature prize

Massive French 'King Kong' four-panel among highlights in Nov. 20-21 Movie Posters event

Stevens Auction announces highlights included in their annual Thanksgiving Antique auction

Shara Hughes joins David Kordansky Gallery

Heide Museum of Modern Art, Melbourne reopens presenting the first retrospective of Margel Hinder

Hint for freight forwarder

3 Reasons Why so Many People Are Following Keto Diet

Interesting Sandbox Games with Creative Design




Museums, Exhibits, Artists, Milestones, Digital Art, Architecture, Photography,
Photographers, Special Photos, Special Reports, Featured Stories, Auctions, Art Fairs,
Anecdotes, Art Quiz, Education, Mythology, 3D Images, Last Week, .

 



Founder:
Ignacio Villarreal
(1941 - 2019)
Editor & Publisher: Jose Villarreal
Art Director: Juan José Sepúlveda Ramírez
Writer: Ofelia Zurbia Betancourt

Royalville Communications, Inc
produces:

ignaciovillarreal.org juncodelavega.com facundocabral-elfinal.org
Founder's Site. Hommage
to a Mexican poet.
Hommage
       

The First Art Newspaper on the Net. The Best Versions Of Ave Maria Song Junco de la Vega Site Ignacio Villarreal Site
Tell a Friend
Dear User, please complete the form below in order to recommend the Artdaily newsletter to someone you know.
Please complete all fields marked *.
Sending Mail
Sending Successful