Stella McCartney: "They called me the eco-nut because I understood that I had to be proactive with the environment"

• London Fashion Week Stella McCartney presents a collection of leather-effect garments made from mushrooms

When you are the daughter of a world star, the paths open to you are many. You can let yourself be crushed by your father's fame, follow in his wake and even use your own cards and find your talent.

chose the third option. She is one of the daughters of Beatle

and photographer

, who died in 1998 from breast cancer. She has preferred fashion to music.

Since 2011, after collaborating with Lacroix, Chloé and Gucci and having dressed

from all over the world, he has a signature with his own name.

For 20 years he has been working to make environmentally and animal-friendly objects out of his creations, he has never used fur and experiments with novel fabrics, such as recyclable polyester, fur extracted from mushrooms and wool with low environmental impact. You have just participated in the

held in

, where this interview takes place.

Where does your passion for the environment come from? It seems one of his strongest principles, something that goes beyond work. My parents, longtime vegetarians and environmental activists, passed it on to me. Developing his teachings in my professional activity was almost a natural step. My mother, Linda, especially, was a very forward-thinking woman. What she talked about 35 years ago is now current. He started a vegetarian food company when no one knew about these products, and he always had the health of the planet and animals in mind. His modernity even scared me but, as I grew up, I learned a lot about his sense of ethics. Since the beginning he has worked with organic cotton and rejected furs. His creations have become a true and personal field of experimentation,from the production chain to the recovery of garments. It was in 2008 when everything changed. I read a UN report on animal agriculture and its effects on the planet. I understood that climate change is a complex issue and I decided not to dedicate myself solely to the conservation of the animal kingdom and to always be proactive with the environment. How is your search for sustainable materials? I started 20 years ago because I wanted to create the bestHow is your search for sustainable materials? I started 20 years ago because I wanted to create the bestHow is your search for sustainable materials? I started 20 years ago because I wanted to create the best

possible and everyone was telling me that I was not going to be successful without wearing real fur. In the end I was right! Fashion offers so many possibilities that not using them is almost a sin. In 2016 I was at the Bolt Threads headquarters in San Francisco for the first time, a company that produces plant-based materials. I remember that I touched a wonderful spider silk, I had never seen anything like it. And a perfect collaboration was born because each one needed the other, we are creative and they scientists; we have joined forces. Together we have launched, for example, a design of a bag, the first prototype is already on the market, which is called Mylo and is made with mushroom skin. I believe that developments like these are only the beginning, in a few years it will become the norm and the impact on the planet will be impressive.I am happy to see that other brands are interested in these materials. Why are you removing a lot of wool from your collections? In 2013 we stopped using the angora, a product made from rabbit fur. In 2018 I abandoned mohair, made from goatskin. Since 2016, we have used only recycled and certified cashmere, which has the same quality as traditional cashmere but has seven times less environmental impact. To make a single sweater you need four goats, the overproduction of recent years, together with the diffusion of low-cost products, has led to the desertification of the Mongolian meadows. The decision of which thread to use also rests with creativity. I can't even think of products that include the use of these yarns, a more than interesting challenge.Can fashion really be 100% sustainable? It is an ambitious challenge and it takes time, but I am confident because there have been events, steps forward have been taken. I myself work on the front line to eliminate certain mechanisms, and I find it one of the most stimulating aspects of my work. Years ago I underlined the importance of circular production, an issue that today is on the podium of the agenda of many fashion houses. Only 1% of the material used to design a suit comes from recycled garments. This implies that 99% of the tissue has to be rejected. The fashion industry is not controlled, there are no effective policies that guarantee cleaner production. It's crazy. Last June I participated in the G7 and brought this matter to the attention of global leaders.Prince Charles of England does a great job with the Terra Carta project, which pushes companies to create a sustainable future. I am also very happy to have collaborated in COP26.The downside of the increasing attention to climate is greenwashing: companies present their activities as environmentally friendly to hide their negative environmental impact. There is a lot of confusion with this and it is essential that companies do not limit themselves to environmental impact but also to the search for new production and supply systems. Transparent reports on sustainability are needed. In my firm we do. Do you think the new ecological conscience will last? The young generations want change and fashion has a fundamental role. When I started 20 years ago I was an 'outsider', thethethethat pushes companies to create a sustainable future. I am also very happy to have collaborated in COP26.The downside of the increasing attention to climate is greenwashing: companies present their activities as environmentally friendly to hide their negative environmental impact. There is a lot of confusion with this and it is essential that companies do not limit themselves to environmental impact but also to the search for new production and supply systems. Transparent reports on sustainability are needed. In my firm we do. Do you think the new ecological conscience will last? The young generations want change and fashion has a fundamental role. When I started 20 years ago I was an 'outsider', thethat pushes companies to create a sustainable future. I am also very happy to have collaborated in COP26.The downside of the increasing attention to climate is greenwashing: companies present their activities as environmentally friendly to hide their negative environmental impact. There is a lot of confusion with this and it is essential that companies do not limit themselves to environmental impact but also to the search for new production and supply systems. Transparent reports on sustainability are needed. In my firm we do. Do you think the new ecological conscience will last? The young generations want change and fashion has a fundamental role. When I started 20 years ago I was an 'outsider', theThe downside to the growing attention to climate is greenwashing: companies present their activities as environmentally friendly to hide their negative environmental impact. There is a lot of confusion with this and it is essential that companies do not limit themselves to environmental impact but also to the search for new production and supply systems. Transparent reports on sustainability are needed. In my firm we do. Do you think the new ecological conscience will last? The young generations want change and fashion has a fundamental role. When I started 20 years ago I was an 'outsider', theThe downside to the growing attention to climate is greenwashing: companies present their activities as environmentally friendly to hide their negative environmental impact. There is a lot of confusion with this and it is essential that companies do not limit themselves to environmental impact but also to the search for new production and supply systems. Transparent reports on sustainability are needed. In my firm we do. Do you think the new ecological conscience will last? The young generations want change and fashion has a fundamental role. When I started 20 years ago I was an 'outsider', theThere is a lot of confusion with this and it is essential that companies do not limit themselves to environmental impact but also to the search for new production and supply systems. Transparent reports on sustainability are needed. In my firm we do. Do you think the new ecological conscience will last? The young generations want change and fashion has a fundamental role. When I started 20 years ago I was an 'outsider', theThere is a lot of confusion with this and it is essential that companies do not limit themselves to environmental impact but also to the search for new production and supply systems. Transparent reports on sustainability are needed. In my firm we do. Do you think the new ecological conscience will last? The young generations want change and fashion has a fundamental role. When I started 20 years ago I was an 'outsider', theWhen I started 20 years ago I was an 'outsider', theWhen I started 20 years ago I was an 'outsider', the

.

Now many reflect as I did, but there is work to be done, our house is burning and we must stop this crisis.

My dream would be to see the fashion industry come together in the name of a shift towards sustainability and a better future.

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