It was a busy week in the fashion world. In keeping with her enduring focus on sustainability, Stella McCartney delivered her Fall 2021 lineup with a fantastical presentation of fashionable animals. Also aiming to make the future of fashion a little greener, Allbirds added hemp fabric to its roster of natural materials for their new summer line. Plus, Afterpay is blurring the lines with a genderless shopping platform. Read on to find out more about what global changemakers are doing to make the fashion world a better place.
Stella McCartney’s Fall 2021 collection is a direct nod to animal cruelty
Enter a world where animals and humans coexist as equals with Stella McCartney’s Fall 2021 campaign “Our Time Has Come.” This dream-like display of stylish animals rewilding in London (wearing McCartney’s Fall 2021 clothing, of course) communicates a message that animals are our equals. Think: a rabbit in faux leather joggers and stilettos on a sidewalk, or a parrot and seagull clad in billowing reams of red and pink fabric on the steps of the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain. The clothing itself embodies “J is for Joy” from the Stella McCartney A to Z Manifesto, and is made from 80 percent recycled materials.
“While this campaign is light-hearted, I wanted to address a serious issue: ending the use of fur. Whether it is being sold here in the United Kingdom or farmed globally, barbarism knows no borders and this effort is key to my life’s mission of bringing a conscience to the fashion industry,” said McCartney in a press release. The designer was one of nine global business leaders at last week’s G7 Summit, for a first-ever meeting to discuss the acceleration of a sustainable future.
With this campaign, McCartney’s label is partnering with Humane Society International, and is asking for signatures on the Humane Society Global’s Stop Deadly Fur petition, which calls on all countries to ban fur farming and highlights the trade’s danger to both human and animal lives during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Afterpay launches a gender inclusive shop
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The leading “buy now, pay later” service for fashion and beauty brands has announced the launch of their Genderfree shop — and it’s quite innovative. Rather than following the grid layout of traditional e-commerce experiences, this platform will display a free-flowing curation of products, brands, influencer content, styled images and educational text, in hopes to inspire consumers to break gender binary molds. This project is part of a larger commitment to focus on inclusivity beyond Pride month, as it offers a shopping experience that transcends gender and encourages self-expression.
Afterpay will also be developing a year-round series of gender-inclusive programming in partnership with gender non-confirming writer and performance artist Alok Vaid-Menon, which will include programming at New York Fashion week in September. Non-profit organization Reimagine Gender will also have a part in guiding the Genderfree shop and help to elevate LGBTQIA+ brands on the platform.
Ferragamo’s new shoe collection has its own dance challenge
Ferragamo’s latest women’s footwear collection entitled “Let’s Dance” unveils a lineup of newly designed shoe styles that combine lightness and comfort. To accompany this release, the house of Ferragamo has revealed a short dance film directed by American director Danielle Lessovitz in an attempt to capture the spirit of modern women. “Let’s Dance” has also been turned into a dance challenge for the Ferragamo community — this month, the brand’s new TikTok channel will launch with the #FerragamoDanceChallenge, which will offer tutorials for choreography. The “Let’s Dance” capsule is available now in Ferragamo boutiques and on ferragamo.com.
Allbirds launches a sustainable summer clothing line made from hemp
Last week, sustainable footwear and apparel brand Allbirds launched its first summer clothing capsule. Launching with four classic styles — a ribbed tank, button-up shirt, shorts and dress — the lightweight lineup allows for an easygoing summer of versatile styling. To top it off, the capsule is made from hemp, which requires fewer resources to make than most other summer fabrics. Hemp is the newest fibre to join the brand’s roster of natural materials, and it earns itself a triple-threat badge of honour for being durable, soft and breathable.
Urbancoolab celebrates Pride month with gender neutral collection
Modelled and photographed right in the heart of The Village (Toronto’s LGBTQIA+ enclave within Church and Wellesley Streets) is a new collection by Urbancoolab that celebrates all things Pride. The AI-powered collab platform trailblazing the indie streetwear landscape has launched a gender neutral collection in conjunction with Rainbow Railroad, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping LGBTQIA+ individuals facing oppression and mistreatment based on their sexuality and gender identity. The “We’re ALL in This Together” collection features an array of super colourful railroad-inspired designs on loungewear separates, with 50 percent of proceeds going towards Rainbow Railroad. You can shop the collection here.
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