Stella McCartney's Compassionate Fashion

Published February 20, 2013 09:30AM

If the people who orbit the fashion world seem to be a few steps ahead of everyone else, it’s because they are. Never is this more evident than during fashion week, the twice-yearly coming out party for the luxe looks we’re all expected to covet in the seasons to come.

Those high-end catwalk creations aren’t for everyone—the price of a designer garment alone can be a deterrent, and “luxury” is often synonymous with fur and animal skins, which breaches ethical boundaries for some. Still, there’s no denying high fashion’s trickle-down effect that, sooner or later, affects the average consumer.   H&M, Zara, Mango, and Top Shop are retail stores who have mastered the art of making high-fashion replicas accessible to the masses, but if you’re interested in quality and style and don’t mind paying the price, there’s one designer worth getting acquainted with: Stella McCartney.

The daughter of Beatle Paul McCartney and vocal vegetarian advocate Linda McCartney has forged a very distinct identity in the fashion world. Like her mom, she eschews meat and loves animals, and her menswear-inspired clothes reflect an ethical flavor that isn’t at all “granola.” While she still uses wool and silk, she steadfastly refuses to incorporate fur and animal skins into her designs, relying instead on “eco leather,” faux suedes, and textured synthetics.

On March 4 in Paris, McCartney will introduce her Fall/Winter 2013 prêt-a-porter (ready-to-wear) collection during the first fashion week of the year. Not quite ready to think about what you’ll wear nine months from now? You might prefer McCartney’s Spring/Summer 2013 looks instead. The line, which made its debut in the French capital back in October, brims with cottons and lightweight synthetics, and, as always, her bags, shoes, and accessories are leather-free.

Veg fashion blogger Aurelia d’Andrea has devoted a disproportionately large portion of her life to scouring thrift stores, vintage boutiques, and flea markets in search of sartorial treasures, and has a closet full of frocks to prove her passion for the hunt. Going veg taught her to sharpen her style skills, and confirmed what she’d suspected all along: It really is possible to develop a fashionable point of view and keep your ethics intact, too. She lives in Paris where she blogs (My Vegan Parisian Aventure) and writes books (Moon Living Abroad in France).