Stella McCartney is known for her revolutionary approach to sustainable fashion. Since establishing her eponymous brand in 2001, McCartney has since gone on to create the first ever “mushroom” leather crafted from mycelium, partnered with adidas on sustainable activewear and landed herself on the cover of American Vogue where she was described as “fashion’s conscience”. The mother of 4 has also championed women’s rights and female empowerment, most recently making waves at Disneyland Paris where she was invited to design Minnie Mouse’s outfit in honour of Women’s History Month.

We spoke to the designer about some of her proudest moments, when she was the most vulnerable and the women that she is lucky to know and look up to.

What does femininity mean to you?

I believe femininity is an attitude – it’s a type of confidence. We have moved so far from the belief that to be feminine you have to wear pretty pink dresses. Now femininity is all about the way you carry yourself. As a woman, I feel my most powerful when I’m being honest and when I’m not compromising who I am and to me that is what femininity and being a woman is about.

Aside from the environment, what are some other causes close to your heart?

It has been over 20 years since I lost my mum Linda to breast cancer, and it still pains me every day. That is why I have become such a huge advocate for breast cancer awareness to encourage early testing and detection among women of all ages. We have been doing an annual breast cancer awareness campaign for years now, every October, with the aim of raising awareness and trying to break the taboo of talking about the disease. I hope that over the years our campaigns have encouraged many women to check themselves, and in turn preventing the worst outcome like my mother experienced.

We also set up the Stella McCartney Cares Foundation in 2019, half of which focuses on the environment while the other half focuses on breast cancer awareness. Through the Foundation we have given away thousands of post-mastectomy bras for free to women in need. It came to my attention that the post-mastectomy bras currently on offer were all super basic and unflattering with no design. I wanted to create something that would make the woman feel sexy and confident again after such a terrible operation. The response to the bra’s is always completely overwhelming, and I couldn’t be prouder when I hear the touching stories from the women who’ve received our bras. I want no one to suffer the loss of a mother, sister, aunt, or friend as my family has.

As a mother of four, what are some values you passed on to your children? 

As we’re talking about women, I’ll tell you what I speak to my daughters about. I see in my daughters so much hope. I explain to them that women are looked down upon in some cultures, still to this day, and that historically, women have not been treated equally. I tell my daughters that they are incredibly privileged because they are growing up in a world that is finally starting to see women as equal and so they believe that the future is equal for them and I encourage them every day to be whoever they want to be. They are so lucky to be able to feel this as it’s not always been this way for women. I also tell my children that being kind, not only to the planet but to each other, and if you are kind, then you will go far.

You were presented an OBE, designed a wedding dress for Meghan Markle and was on the cover of Vogue. What has been your greatest achievement to date, in your eyes?

It’s hard to choose one particular moment or achievement from the past 21 years as I’m lucky enough to have had many proud moments, but I think the thing I am always most energised about, especially in recent years, is innovation. When I first started this journey, my choice to not use leather or fur made me an outsider. I used to get called an ‘Eco Weirdo’! However, my commitment and values also required me to be an innovator and to experiment with new technologies which is what drives me. Over the years, there have been significant advancements in what’s possible, and style does not need to be compromised for sustainability anymore. We are now seeing more and more sustainable options. Since 2017, I have partnered with a company called Bolt Threads which has combined science with fashion to generate Mylo™, an animal-free leather alternative made from mycelium (the underground root structure of mushrooms). My Summer 2022 collection, which launches this month, marked the debut of the first Mylo™ bag on a runway which was a very special moment for me. As one of the most polluting industries on the planet, next generation materials like Mylo™ give me so much hope for the evolution of fashion and a more mindful future. 

Who are some of the most inspiring women in your life? How have they influenced you?

My mother was the most inspiring woman I am lucky to have ever met. She was so ahead of her time when it came to her values and she is 100% the reason I am who I am today. There is no doubt in that. She is also the biggest inspiration in my work. Whenever I design a collection, I always have a picture of my mum on my mood board. She is my muse. Her style exuded confidence and rebelliousness and taught me that style can be used as a tool for self-expression. Modern for the times, she would wear pieces from my dad’s wardrobe, mix vintage with designer, and pair tailored suits with knitwear. These stylistic choices have reinforced for me the importance of questioning boundaries and being intellectually curious when designing a collection. 

But I think all women are an inspiration to me. Women are multitaskers and problem solvers. We get things done. At Stella McCartney for example, a lot of the women here are working mothers or working wives; they’re having to juggle a lot of things and I think that that requires an incredible amount of strength and precision. They are powerful and I am constantly inspired and impressed by this.