Why Stella McCartney Thinks the Fashion Industry Is Medieval

Business of Fashion’s editor-in-chief, Imran Amed, sat down with Stella McCartney in London earlier this week to discuss how she built the world’s first sustainable luxury brand, and the conversation was filled with interesting tidbits from the designer. McCartney’s brand is renowned for avoiding all animal products, including leather, fur, skins and feathers, which the designer admitted can be a challenge. However, she believes it’s a worthy challenge, and one the larger fashion world should be taking on, telling the audience:

“It’s extraordinary how old-fashioned fashion is. It’s medieval to me that the industry still kills millions of animals a year. Leather is one of the most harmful parts of fashion. It’s not a luxurious method. Leather is not really a by-product. It’s a myth.”

It’s a striking statement from someone in an industry with a majority stake in leather goods. But the question that remains: Will other designers catch on? And if they do, will the challenge of producing non-animal products be sustainable in the long term? We suppose only time will tell.

Do you agree with Stella McCartney's opinion of the fashion industry? Let us know in the comments!