Earlier this month Stella McCartney posted a trio of portraits to her Instagram. In each one, she posed with a world leader: Joe Biden, Emmanuel Macron, Justin Trudeau. She was one of 10 CEOs and founders invited by the G7 to discuss where industry and policy need to intersect for a sustainable future. It’s serious business, working for “a more clean, conscious, and cruelty-free fashion industry and planet,” as she put it, but McCartney looked like she was having good fun. Therein lies the appeal of her brand, which, if Vogue Runway’s archives are anything to go by, turns 20 this year.
For resort, McCartney leaned into fun in a big way. “When we shot the lookbook, it was very much about celebrating individuality, but also about coming together,” McCartney said. “It was these girls out at a club, because I think we’re all desperate to go and hear loud music somewhere. They’re just enjoying the moment and living their best life. This collection for me is a real celebration of where we know we’re going to get very soon.”
McCartney’s cyber girls wore diamanté slips trimmed in neon lace, jersey dresses flocked in William Bradley via Haight Ashbury psychedelic logo prints, and user-friendly dresses with drawstrings to adjust the level of cling and hem length. Others sported corset tops and hip-slung raver pants, rainbow swirl sherpa jackets and lace-inset joggers, or a biker jersey and balloon shorts. The collection made room for a few tailored looks; these had the easy structure that McCartney is known for, but they might’ve looked staid in comparison with the rest if she hadn’t cut them in candy pastels.
The Y2K flashbacks were intentional—the era is trending IRL and on digital runways. The difference is these clothes are being made responsibly, with 71% eco-friendly materials, according to a release. McCartney said she was proudest of the new Frayme bag made from Alter Mat vegan leather, a “little sister” to her classic Falabella.