Two decades after their first collaboration, Stella McCartney and H&M are reuniting, revisiting a partnership that, at the time, helped bring sustainable fashion to a much wider audience.
Launching on 7 May across selected stores in the UAE and wider region, the new collection draws on 25 years of Stella McCartney’s design history. Expect familiar styles like oversized shirting, sharp tailoring and sweeping outerwear, with pieces pulled from her early archive, including slogan tees and embellished prints.
‘I see this collection as a journey through my fashion history.’ Stella says. ‘It is a true mix of current classics and some of my old favourites that showcase my first forays into fashion and the development of my signatures. It’s playful, strong, sparkling, joyful, refined.’
There’s a reminder of Stella’s long-standing role in pushing fashion towards more responsible practices in the collection, too. Materials include organic cotton, wool certified to the Responsible Wool Standard, recycled metals used across accessories, and plant-based coatings derived from corn and vegetable oil.
The collection spans ready-to-wear and accessories, from structured tailoring and knitwear to statement evening pieces and denim.
Standout pieces include an oversized trench coat cut from Regenerative Organic Certified cotton, a cropped faux-snakeskin bomber finished with a glossy coating derived from recycled cooking oil, and hoodies and T-shirts featuring airbrushed horses.
The lineup also revisits her more recent work, with a take on the cut-out, crystal-embellished jeans first seen in her spring/summer 2023 show, originally worn by Bella Hadid on the runway.
Other key items in the collection include rib knitted dresses and tops with McCartney’s signature Falabella chain at the neck, and a long white gown with a cape-like sleeve that loops into the hem, giving the look of a sweeping circle of fabric.
Bags, a core pillar of Stella’s designs, feature prominently with six to choose from. They include oversized totes and smaller shoulder styles, as well as a timeless chocolate-toned bag with a chain-detail strap. This is one of several pieces in the collection that incorporate the Falabella chain, made from recycled metal in mixed tones. The collection also includes loafers with chains on the front.
While collaborations like this raise questions, they also highlight how far the conversation around materials has come since the original 2005 launch. Sustainable fashion was once considered niche but is now part of mainstream fashion vocabulary.
‘Stella has always had a bold vision for fashion, and this collection tracks her journey from a young, rule-breaking voice to a master of timeless design.’ says H&M’s Ann- Sofie Johansson. ‘Every single piece in the collection is desirable and tells a unique and bold story.’
At a significantly lower price point than her mainline collection, these collaborative pieces are likely to attract plenty of attention, so we suggest you move quickly.
