The Fashion Awards 2017 in partnership with Swarovski will award Stella McCartney OBE
with a Special Recognition Award for Innovation, celebrating her outstanding contribution to
the fashion industry. McCartney will be honoured on Monday 4th December at the Royal Albert
Hall for her commitment to sustainable fashion, material innovation and for utilising her
influence to create a positive environmental impact on the industry. Her constant investment
as a responsible, authentic and modern business is what makes her one of the industry’s most
respected designers.
Stella McCartney’s commitment to environmental issues started at an early age. As a
vegetarian passionate about animal rights, McCartney has never used any leather, fur, skins
or feathers in her designs. In 1997 having completed a degree in fashion design at Central
Saint Martins, McCartney’s international career officially commenced when she was appointed
Creative Director at French luxury house Chloé. In 2001, Stella McCartney established her
eponymous fashion house in 50/50 partnership with global luxury group, Kering.
Since its launch, Stella McCartney’s brand has had a deeply rooted commitment to ethical
values, believing the company is responsible for the resources it uses and the impact it has
on the environment, constantly exploring innovative ways to become more sustainable, from
design to store practices and product manufacturing. McCartney’s main mission in combining
her brand’s commitment to sustainability without compromising on luxurious beautiful designs
is what makes her a game changer in the industry, a true innovator.
Stella McCartney commented "I’m incredibly proud to get this award. What I am most proud
of is that it is a new award that is introduced into the Fashion Awards, a special recognition on
innovation. I am hoping that as being the first recipient, I can inspire other design houses to
follow suit and to make this the most prestigious award, not just a one off.”
Dame Natalie Massenet, Chairman British Fashion Council commented“It is a great
honour to present the Special Recognition Award for Innovation to Stella McCartney. Stella is
a fashion pioneer, she has created a modern vegetarian business that in turn has led her to
be at the forefront of sustainable sourcing and material innovation. She is proof that high and
ethical fashion combined can create astonishing results and her innovative approach to the
industry is an inspiration to us all.”
Stella McCartney’s dedication to sustainability is evident throughout all her collections which
include women’s ready-to-wear, menswear, accessories, lingerie, swimwear, kids, fragrance
and the adidas by Stella McCartney collection. Each and every product category incorporates
a responsibly minded approach. This includes the use of vegetarian leather and sustainably
sourced viscose from certified forests, reducing the effect on deforestation, while 62% of
all cotton used in her collections is organic. The wool used is sourced from sustainably
managed farms and all the cashmere is regenerated. The brand also works with recycling
partners for all synthetic materials, in order to reduce the need for fossil fuels to be used for
textile production, such as ECONYL which uses an innovative regenerated technology to
make virgin quality recycled nylon with the ability to infinitely regenerate nylon waste into new
fibres without loss of quality.
Most recently, over the past few months, McCartney’s brand has revealed efforts in
sustainability with ongoing projects including a new ground breaking partnership with Bolt
Threads which pushes the boundaries of fabric innovation by working with bioengineered silk.
A new partnership with authenticated luxury consigner The RealReal, provides the first step
in ensuring the extended life cycle of clothing, embracing new business models that will
transform how clothes are produced, sold, shared, repaired and reused.
The future of sustainability at Stella McCartney includes embracing innovation and the circular
economy, by supporting on the ground restoration of the ecosystems touched by the raw
materials we rely on and building transformative supply chain solutions. The brand will
continue to announce further innovation partnerships throughout the year ahead.
The Fashion Awards in partnership with Swarovski recognise creativity and innovation in
fashion. The Fashion Awards celebrate exceptional individuals whose imagination and
creativity have broken new ground in fashion globally over the past 12 months and brands and
businesses that have transformed the possibilities of fashion today. The event hosted in
fashion’s creative capital, London, raises money to nurture future generations of fashion talent.
The BFC Education Foundation is the charitable partner to The Fashion Awards 2017 in
partnership with Swarovski.