Genderless fashion is – for however simple it sounds in theory – still relatively new ground for a lot of fashion designers. Sure, androgyny had its moment on the runways a few years ago, but it’s taken some time for the leaders in the industry to fully catch on and apply it to their collections in a wholly unisex way.
That’s set to change now that Stella McCartney is releasing Shared, a capsule collection of pieces that approach the dated gender binary with a neutral fluidity. This collection is inspired, of course, by the youths of today, who are some of the gender neutral movement’s biggest champions.
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McCartney found a kindred connection with them – her environmental activism, celebrating individuality and diversity – and designed this collection to speak the stylistic language of a generational cohort ready and willing to use their voices to affect change.
The styles are mostly signature Stella, with a touch of utilitarian function. Iconic pieces like suits, double-breasted coats, trenches and puffer jackets are remixed and played up for a more urban and casual effect.
These draw from McCartney’s own Savile Row background in tailoring, which in her key womenswear collections have been applied to a playful relationship with bending the masculine codes of tailoring for women’s silhouettes. That means even challenging silhouettes like suit jackets and trousers now bypass a gender binary and can be shared and worn whatever a person’s gender identity.
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The Stella McCartney Shared capsule collection also includes a collaboration with the London-based illustrator and comic book artist Will Sweeney, who created the line’s vibrant print graphics inspired by 1970s psychedelia. The brand’s logo also gets a novel twist, with faux-establishment prints like “Stella McCartney Est.2001” and “23 Old Bond Street – London” (its flagship address) being splashed on T-shirts, sweatshirts, and a new tote bag style.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Stella McCartney collection without some sustainability credentials. To wit, the jersey tees and sweatshirts in this collection are made with 100 per cent organic cotton, using up to 70 per cent less water than its conventional counterparts. Styles like the parkas that are cut from synthetic fabrics, meanwhile, are crafted from recycled polyester that cuts the need for the production of wasteful virgin material.
