Stella McCartney - What's up with all the hype surrounding her?!

[Fashion Puss]

I have real mixed feelings about Stella's stuff. I think that Lagerfeld summed it up well when he described her as "just a t-shirt designer." Chloe has gone from strength to strength, thus proving that it was Philo all along. Philo has a real talent and was dwarfed by Stella and her famous connections at Chloe. But in Stella's defence, there has never been a noted quote from Stella bigging up her dad's name, the press has been doing that for her. I think it was a mistake on Stella's part to get Noami and Kate Moss to do her graduate show - if that had been the year that I graduated I would have been furious! That was the lamb to the slaughter, everyone knew that not just any graduate could have got those names and such press coverage.
I've heard that Stella McCartney (as well as a few other labels under the Gucci Group) have been given until 2006 to cut even or they're pulling the plug. So we shall see...
Maybe she got to confident too quickly by leaving Chloe after only a few years.

 

[fireatwill]

She has a cause: animal rights, she does not use leather, fur, etc.

For that alone, I applaud her. She is one of the few designers who are supported by PETA because of their refusal to use fur or leather. And becuase I don't wear fur or leather because of that reason, I support her efforst wholeheartedly.

<3 Me.

 

[Fashion Puss]

Did you see that article that was posted here from the Observer? She went to an interview wearing leather boots. Then said it was ok because they were vinatge (?)
Its seems thats she doesn't practice what she preaches.

 

[fireatwill]

^^ wow.. i never heard of that one. i'm sure PETA wouldn't be too happy about endorsing someone who doesn't practic what they preach. thank you for giving me that info. but, it makes me sad. i was hoping she wasn't one of those people. like the ones who i see saying they are vegetarian but they eat seafood...but, whatevers.

<3

 

[mdankwah]

^ there's a thread on that interview, here's the link if you're interested
http://www.thefashionspot.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20778&highlight=stella+mccartney+leather

 

[Diamond Star]

As I’ve said before her collections are getting better. But without the McCartney name and the celebrity friends I don’t think she would of got as far as she has done.

 

[fireatwill]

^ there's a thread on that interview, here's the link if you're interested
http://www.thefashionspot.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20778&highlight=stella+mccartney+leather

Thank you. I read it and now understand her standpoint more.

<3 Me.

 

[skyscrape]

there are choices a vegetarian and vegan must make, because most people involved in animal rights are environmentalists as well. that given, one must decide which is more important personally - recycling (hence reusing clothing and shoes and furniture that already exists so as to contribute as little as possible to increasing the environmental burden) or purchasing new items made out of petrochemicals that are harmful to the environment (plastics, pleather). it is quite impossible to be 100% vegan. animal by-products are everywhere from camera film to candles to perfume. i do believe that Stella is a vegetarian, not a vegan, and she eats dairy - so from that, she does not shun all animal products, therefore, she's not being a hypocrite with regards to leather. does that mean that because it's impossible to be 100% perfect with regards to any of our beliefs (religious, social, moral, dietary) we should not try at all? doing the right thing 75% or 25% of the time is better than 0%. and it does make a difference in your life and the lives of others. The fact is that a luxury conglomerate that makes millions selling leather and fur to consumers is funding her label -- a label that outright attempts to make veggie clothing, accesories and perfumes chic and trendy and to modify consumer behaviour against what the luxury giant would want! A label that attempts to educate consumers and recent fashion school graduates about what happens to create that coat, that shoe, etc so that, if anything, they will at least know how goods are produced and can make informed decisions. She bites the hand that feeds her, and that shows she understand how reality works. Having a conglomerate back her means that her philosophy is exposed to thousands more people than if she were an indie label, and she holds that much more clout in the industry. And her Adidas collaboration has been reported in the fashion press to be incredibly successful, something like 75% of the collection sold -- that's $$$, and that's what companies such as Adidas, the Gucci Group, and H&M, who just announced Stella is designing a collection for them, care about. That Stella McCartney is a designer means that there is a label out there that provides an alternative to the luxury goods norm, and that should be respected regardless of how much talent you think she has.

 

[skyscrape]

oh, and purely from an aesthetic point of view, her shoes are beautiful. i own a couple handfuls of them and they are well made, unique and comfortable. so whoever designs the stella shoe collection, keep it up! Her trousers and tailoring are very good, the Chloe fame for having great pants carries into the Stella line. I resent nepotism as much as the next person, but it'll be interesting to see how/if the line progresses and she can improve and streamline the collection, which does need help. there are good design ideas there, every season, it just needs to be more focused and the designs need to be more flattering.

 

[Zimdor]

As I’ve said before her collections are getting better. But without the McCartney name and the celebrity friends I don’t think she would of got as far as she has done.

Those shots people that have taken shots at her being a "celebrity deisgner" are uninformed, being mean or...being ironic . She graduated from Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design (in 1995), just like Phoebe Philo, McQueen and others have done. Saw her in an early Fashion Television clip with her in her tiny (at the time) studio doing sketches and the like with a minimal staff. Have no doubt that she does as much actual designing as any other real fashion designer.

For sure, her name got her to Chloe faster than she might have otherwise got herself on her own merits. But its easy to belittle her because of her name. She comes across (in interviews on Fashion Television) as being very humble and nice. Hope her collections continue to get better . Don't think she's totally found her groove with her own (big name) label yet.

 

[VICTIM]

although her clothes are'nt allways to my liking i do have to give her credit for being an amaizing tailor her trousers look amaizing on allmost any woman. i read in tank! magazine that she did 4 years in saville row to learn to properly tailor her clothes so i wouldnt call her just a "celebrity" designer, although yes a lot of celebrities do wear her clothes. i think she's a very talented woman (especially for not using leather and having to find alternative fabric/ materials) and like zimdor said above i dont think that she's quite found her own groove with her label yet.

 

[Marlène_]

I love Stella Mc Cartney, she's not designing trendy clothes which will last one season, she doesn't follow trends ands she really makes women look feminine.
Her only aim is to make women look great and she creates wearable clothes, fortunately she's not john galliano or all those not well known designers who think they are inventive with there awful clothes
There's always one or two dresses that looks quite bad: the swimsuits mentionned before have cute prints but I don't like the cuts...

here's what you called talentless:
pics from google

stella mccartney:

I can understand that it's not your taste but say she has no talent!
It's not even the best pics of her work...

and I agree the shoes are amazing

 

[Deleted member 7575]

Did you see that article that was posted here from the Observer? She went to an interview wearing leather boots. Then said it was ok because they were vinatge (?)
Its seems thats she doesn't practice what she preaches.

Actually you will find that mose animal right activists, vegans, and people involved in PETA will say that wearing vintage and used leather items like that is ok. Mainly because when you buy it you aren't promoting and strengthening the industry that does the animal cruelty. Your money doesn't go to them. It's still animal friendly.

 

[i_<3_chanel]

i like stella
& no-one can convince me otherwise !

 

[AlmostFamous]

i like stella
& no-one can convince me otherwise !

We can start a "We Stella" club.

I personally just love, and would wear, almost everything she's designed. B)

 

[Marlène_]

Originally Posted by Fashion Puss
Did you see that article that was posted here from the Observer? She went to an interview wearing leather boots. Then said it was ok because they were vinatge (?)
Its seems thats she doesn't practice what she preaches.

I don't see the problem, it's old once it's made It's made...
I don't know how to explain as I'm not english hope yuo understand lol

 

[LouisVuitton30]

Agreed

I completely agree with the original post.. I don't think her line is at all as great as everyone makes it out to be! I think it's "left-over"!

 

[lamb]

I think Stella is fantastic designer and I admire her.
Her collections are very good and the clothes she made for Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow were great.
And when it comes to vintage leather and fur, even PETA says that it is ok.
Of course her fathers money and fame helped her, but she wasn't famous or anything like that just by just being Paul McCartneys daughter, so I think she has earned her place.

 

[fashionmad]

i for one agree with you, seraphelle...

i like stella and i think she has and will continue to grow into her own.....she uses a beautiful palette and somehow seems to blend the feminine and the structured in a young, fresh way.....she's relatable...she's versatile....she's young...her clothes may not be the most functional, or the best designs, but she's somewhat of a package... and for a young hip crowd, she represents clean, fresh, wholesome but not overly mature style....i commend her for what she's done, connections or not.....i think we forget sometimes that there are plenty of people out there with the connections and with feet in the door who choose to use it for the negative....at least stella is out there trying to make something of it and put what she has to use.....a little positive energy like that goes a long way in this world, i think....and in fashion too

I agree
Stella love abounds here. Her collections for Chloe completely revived the brand, and influenced so many people. I still love the girly/romantic/victorian/flower child yet hip/structured/pin-striped vibe she created there. Maybe when I have time I will post pictures of her earlier chloe collections that were just awesome. Even in her f/w 05 collection under her own name, there are some great pieces like that herringbone coat, the huge sweaters, and here are some beautiful pieces:

http://www.traceyross.com/sweater/sw_08.html

Note how similar the chloe pieces are to the Stella ones!

I love this

Here is a piece by Chloe:

Such a similar vibe, totally influenced by what Stella began there.

all pics are from traceyross.com; it has a great selection of Stella and Chloe

 

[Fashion Puss]

It's still animal friendly.

The fact remains that an animal had its skin removed ot have those boots made. What if a big hunk of meat was put in a deep freeze twenty years ago and defrosted today. Would a vegitarian still be ok to eat it because the animal who died did so twenty years ago?
If you say you won't wear leather, you don't wear leather. End of.