Stella McCartney hosted a sustainability roundtable late last night in advance of her Spring 2020 show this morning. Amber Valletta, the veteran model and McCartney’s friend, said something that sticks in the mind: “We are perpetuating [a] bulimia of buying, using, and throwing away.” Valletta was talking about the collective fawning we do over celebrities in one-off looks, but it applies beyond the red carpet to all aspects of the fashion business.
A perfect storm formed by the U.N.’s reports, global warming–related natural disasters, and young Greta Thunberg’s activation of an entire generation has woken us up to our role in an impending climate catastrophe. Now high fashion is in the midst of an existential crisis. What should we create when we need to stop consuming so much? Should we keep making new things at all? Experts like the environmental scientist Vaclav Smil warn that continuous material growth is impossible; eventually, Mother Earth will throw up her hands and yell: “Stop!”
In 10 years, maybe less, the industry will operate in radically different ways because it must. For now, newly part of the LVMH fold and an adviser to Bernard Arnault, McCartney is using her not insignificant platform to activate people in her own way. Spring 2020, according to her press notes, is her most sustainably made collection yet, with more than 75 percent of materials being eco-friendly. Fashionably speaking, it was trademark McCartney, spanning Savile Row tailoring and utilitarian sportswear, including some cool acid-washed denim and an array of easy summer dresses.
Many of the pieces were constructed using the circle, a symbol not just of the earth but also of the feminine. This was most apparent on a black-and-white–striped top whose stripes clashed directions, but it was also noticeable on a skirt made from two circles of fabric stitched together, producing a curved waistline, and on blouses with scalloped sleeves that created a capelike shape. The technique gave the clothes their relaxed, sensuous silhouettes, which is as much a brand signature as the minimal power suits. Those McCartney showed mismatched—a camel blazer with kelly green culottes—to keep the mood playful. As serious as her environmental messaging has become, the designer’s aesthetic has always been about optimism and uplift. For good vibes and a responsible shopping rush, the flower-print dress banded in bright orange piping will be hard to beat.
