According to female designers Stella McCartney and Marine Serre, Fashion Week in Paris is a place where sustainability and glamour can go hand in hand.
You don’t have to be crunchy to be sustainable. While the definition itself isn’t necessarily bad- persons who have adjusted or altered their lifestyle for environmental reasons- the image that it evokes can be off-putting to some. Dirt under fingernails. A single cotton sack dress. And, wardrobes that are the opposite of glamour. While all of that might be relatable to one subculture of the eco movement, there are some who prefer to have a little glamour in their lives. For the Fall / Winter 2024 collections, designers catered the latter, showing that sustainability and glamour do make great bedfellows.
At Fashion Week in Paris, Stella McCartney and Marine Serre are two designers who upped the glamour while taking sustainable initiatives like using deadstock or responsibly sourced materials in place of virgin plastic-based materials. As a publication that prides itself on sharing the good the industry is doing, it’s refreshing to see designers being equally optimistic about how we can be sustainable and still find joy.
There’s a vegan trenchcoat made from apple leather. A swimsuit, made of recycled aluminum sequins, glistens. A turquoise alpaca minidress, carefully sourced from responsible sources, hits the runway as a voiceover of an environmental manifesto by Olivia Colman and Helen Mirren plays in the background. This is designer Stella McCartney’s platform where she aims to convey an environmental message- Yes, the fashion industry can be destructive. But, instead of being negative and fearful, let’s learn from our mistakes and be mindful of our impact on the environment.
According to the designer, sustainability and glamour can go hand-in-hand. The collection started with the word “Gia” as a pink suit sauntered down the runways, seductively left unbuttoned and worn with a floor-sweeping “fur” coat. From there a swath of models evoking 80s glamour followed suit.
“I always want the platform of Stella McCartney to have an environmental message. I am here to remind people that this is one of the most harmful industries,” the designer said. “But I’m not here to make people depressed and scared. I want to celebrate Mother Earth and all of her creatures and to remind us all to be conscious of that, but at the same time, I want it to be an uplifting experience.”
Also at fashion week in Paris, designer Marine Serre showcased their collection at the Ground Control marketplace. The venue, which used to be a railway shed, now houses various shops, food stalls, and bars, providing a diverse and unconventional living space in the city. It embodies how various styles of music from contemporary R&B to classic music, to hip-hop to electronic have all influenced the designer. The French cultural center was transformed into a world of its own, enhanced by the brand’s iconic moon symbol. The opening all-black, mesh ensembles featured the crescent pattern, followed by tracksuits and leather outerwear that subtly paid homage to the hero illustration.
Yet, more than a brand with an instantly recognizable motif, Marine Serre’s foundation is rooted in regeneration. The body-hugging dresses emblazoned with their signature crescent moons are made from 85% recycled polyamide. The edgy denim pieces are from deadstock materials. Basics are organic cotton. And, the crescent moon purses, snuggly fitting under the model’s arms are crafted from deadstock materials. It was a vibrant and fun collection that burst with vibrant colors, frilly jackets, and covetable pieces all infused with Serre’s signature lunar aesthetic.
“Upcycled and recycled materials are at the center of our design process. Today, around 50% of our collections are composed of upcycled products. The other half sees us working with innovative and sustainable fibers, such as biodegradable yarns and recycled fibers.” Marine Serre.