"When in doubt wear red" ...But make it green



Stella McCartney



I have a hard enough time picking out what I'm going to wear for the day, let alone the perfect first piece for my blog. Then I remembered great American designer Bill Blass- "When in doubt wear red." Or, look to a fellow redhead. I'm doing both. Who better than Stella McCartney to be my first well-versed muse. 


It's easy to throw up in your mouth a little when you see a "coated cotton" label attached to a $1,095 price tag on her coveted Falabella bag.  "Are you kidding?" is the usual response, and I don't blame you.  This is where education plays a key role in your purchase.  While you might feel a little ripped off by the absence of leather, you are actually holding a rare gem in your hands. 



The Falabella: "The Vegan It Bag"

While the price tag may seem less than "stella," (I couldn't resist) there is a lot of green goodness that goes into the greenbacks being doled out for that bag. It's McCartney's stance on ethical and ecologically responsible production that makes her such a rarity in the fashion industry.

Dating back to her tenure at the famed Central Saint Martins school in London, she has consistently held true to her lacto-ovo-vegetarian roots. Stella refuses to use leather or fur in any of her designs, which, can be a challenge when designing shoes and handbags.  Stella has embraced the task at hand however, cultivating numerous techniques that deliver gorgeously ethical products season after season.  The science involved in creating the fibrous blends that look luxurious while remaining environmentally conscious is incredible. Developing these processes can be much more costly than traditional methods. The production techniques are also much more time consuming.  Natural and woven fibers can be painstakingly temperamental when it comes to consistency. Most of the work has to be done by hand. For this reason, a masterfully tailored blazer (one of her signature staples) ballparks around $1,800. A typical dress comes in around $1,000, a pair of pants around $600 and shoes around $500 (except for boots, in which case, as expected, the price sky rockets). Stella McCartney makes it clear that doing things the right way isn't always the cheapest way. She also proves that tree huggers and fashionistas can be friends; ethics and luxury can live in harmony.

One of the greatest things about McCartney is that she makes green transparent. She is admittedly far from perfect, but she clearly tries hard.  The "Green Me" section of her website meticulously documents the company's role in animal rights awareness, their approach to sustainability, and even gives tips to  make your own life a little more green. StellaMcCartney.com has so much more to offer than an overview of the season's latest collection. A glimpse into the life and practices of Stella herself could keep you occupied and inspired for hours.   I highly recommend reading this article on her production processes and techniques, and this interview on "Doing the Right Thing" for the UK magazine Above.

With everything there is to know about Stella it's not surprising that Kate Hudson, Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna are some of her closest friends and biggest  supporters.

Personally, I'm a huge fan of Stella McCartney. Aside from her unique fabrications and dedication to the environment her silhouettes break the fashion mold.  Her clothing works with the body, not against it.  Luckily for me she works particularly well with curvy bodies.  As much as some of us girls hate it... we have boobs. A lot of  high-end clothing doesn't account for that.  Stella gets what it is to be a woman. Her clothes make you look and feel sexy, powerful, and confident without clinging to every skin cell.

 

This red silk frock of hers that graces my own wardrobe is one of my top ten favorite pieces.  It is a true multi-tasking garment that can be worn a thousand different ways. As a dress, a top, belted,or bowed the arresting red hue is always a show stopper. I love it paired with my Stella McCartney salmon colored silk "Blenny" shorts. The red/coral color combination is one of my favorites these days. It's so unexpected but completely sophisticated. Its a great plus that the low impact dyes used in both garments make me feel as good about them as I do in them.

Need a few more talking points on Stella McCartney? Just want a couple of cool facts for your mental Rolodex? Check out the Fluent in a Flash page.

Do you want to know anything else about Stella McCartney? Have any other interesting bits of information to offer? Feel free to comment or e-mail me.