Stella McCartney Uses Grape Waste

STELLA McCARTNEY AND VEUVE CLICQUOT COLLABORATE ON NEXT-GEN LEATHER ALTERNATIVE AND WORLD-FIRST LUXURY ACCESSORIES CRAFTED FROM GRAPE WASTE

Stella McCartney and Veuve Clicquot have collaborated on a pioneering grape-based alternative to animal leather – embodying both LVMH Maisons’ shared values and long-term commitments to sustainability, circularity and regenerative practices. The next-gen material is made from the by-products of Veuve Clicquot’s harvest and has been used to handcraft six Stella McCartney accessories, a selection of which debuted at the S/S 2024 runway show during Paris Fashion Week. Stella McCartney is additionally the guest of honour at Veuve Clicquot’s Bold Woman Award 2023 in Paris.

Both Maisons were founded by pioneering women who disrupted and drove change within their respective fields, with legacies rooted in craftsmanship, passion and innovations that created new, better possibilities. Stella McCartney is widely regarded as fashion’s conscience – inspiring others within the industry and beyond to pursue cruelty-free and sustainable alternatives, having never used leather or fur, whilst Madame Clicquot contributed to the shape of the modern champagne bottle and invented the riddling table, which is still in use today. Her innovations revolutionised the champagne industry, which additionally included the creation of vintage champagne and blended rosé champagne, and she has been recognised by her peers as ‘La Grande Dame de la Champagne’.

Continuing this legacy of innovation, Veuve Clicquot has been exploring next-generation materials for the past decade, with disruptive packaging made from vegetal waste since 2010 and now produces all its gift boxes from hemp, a soilregenerative and CO2-fixing plant. The by-product used in the new material consists of manually collected grape stems. These elements are sourced with full traceability from the environmentally certified Grand Cru vineyard of Bouzy in Champagne, which Madame Clicquot herself purchased 200 years ago.

«I AM SO THRILLED TO BE PART OF THIS FIRSTOF- ITS-KIND PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN A FASHION HOUSE AND A CHAMPAGNE MAISON – CONNECTED BY OUR SHARED PASSIONS FOR SUSTAINABILITY, CRAFTSMANSHIP AND INNOVATION. THIS COLLABORATION IS THE PERFECT BLEND OF MY CRUELTY-FREE VISION WITH VEUVE CLICQUOT’S INCREDIBLE NATURAL INGREDIENTS, USING WASTE TO CIRCULARLY CREATE A LUXURIOUS ALTERNATIVE TO ANIMAL LEATHER THAT CAN BE EASILY SCALED AND CHANGE THE INDUSTRY. YOU TRULY CANNOT TELL THE DIFFERENCE; THIS IS A BETTER WAYSTELLA McCARTNEY, CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF STELLA McCARTNEY

The grapes are grown using regenerative practices, helping to restore local biodiversity, soil health and sequester carbon, and are handpicked to ensure the highest quality of the material. Stella McCartney has also pioneered regenerative agriculture in fashion, having supported the SOKTAS regenerative cotton project in Turkey since 2019, in partnership with LVMH. The Maison also launched the world’s first regenerative cotton luxury garment at its S/S 2023 runway show. Stella McCartney will use the Veuve Clicquot grape-based alternative to craft three iconic Frayme bags, a bottle holder housing a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label and two Elyse sandals, which additionally have a platform wedge made from recycled cork collected from Veuve Clicquot as a mix of pre- and post-consumer waste from its cellars in Reims.

The vegan accessories will be made available for pre-order soon, delivering in March 2024. The material solves for LVMH’s leading sources of greenhouse gas emissions, leather and winemaking, and was created in under 18 months – an incredible feat and speed in the innovation space. Multiple studies have shown that vegan alternatives can have less than half the carbon footprint of animal leather, which kills over 1 billion creatures annually (PETA) and is driving the destruction of key ecosystems like the Amazon (WWF). By creating a next-gen biobased material using waste, Stella McCartney and Veuve Clicquot are pioneering a better way that is kinder to animals, the environment and is both scalable and sustainable.

«THIS COLLABORATION WITH STELLA MCCARTNEY EMBODIES OUR COMMITMENT FOR A MORE RESPONSIBLE FUTURE. FROM THE VINEYARDS TO OUR PRODUCT INNOVATIONS, OUR DRIVING FORCE IS ARTICULATED AROUND SHARED, OPENED AND COLLECTIVE PROGRESS. REINVENTING A NEW CIRCULAR MATERIAL REUSING THE RESOURCES OF OUR VINEYARDS GROWN IN REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE IS ONE OF THE KEY PROJECTS THAT DEMONSTRATE OUR CLIMATE ENTREPRENEURSHIP SPIRIT.» –  JEAN-MARC GALLOT, CEO OF VEUVE CLICQUOT

Available for pre-order at Stella McCartney boutiques and Selfridges from December 2023, and for purchase in-store from March 2024.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Stella McCartney x Veuve Cliquot
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise. Please drink responsibly.

Stella McCartney – The Year of the Dragon

Stellabrate the Lunar New Year with this vibrant collection of consciously crafted ready-to-wear pieces, each playfully detailed with a cheeky rendition of the mythical beast.

I really like this limited-edition organic cotton fleece sweatshirt is elevated with a vibrant all-over tie-dye pattern and an adorable Year of the Dragon mascot.

The collection also includes some fun pieces for the little ones see below.

TO SHOP THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON COLLECTION, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Stella McCartney
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise.

The Frayme Mylo™ by Stella McCartney

Stella McCartney is consciously crafting fashion history by introducing the Frayme Mylo™the world’s first-ever luxury bag crafted from mycelium, a root-like structure of a fungus consisting of a mass of branching, thread-like hyphae. This pioneering vegan alternative to animal leather is grown in a lab using renewable resources by the House’s long-term partners, Bolt.

This is your chance to own a piece of fashion history, with a limited and numbered run of 100 available globally. Each is handcrafted by Italian artisans from Mylo™ – an innovative and incredibly realistic vegan alternative to animal leather. The Frayme Mylo™ is instantly recognisable as a Stella icon, with an exaggerated chain made from recyclable aluminium.

TO SHOP THE LIMITED EDITION FRAYME MYLO™ BAG, CLICK HERE PLEASE.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Stella McCartney and © Sandra Bauknecht
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise.

Trending S/S 2022: Crystal Bags

This S/S 2022 season, statement bags are coming in crystal. Although these crystal bags are ideal for a night out, they definitely don’t have to be limited to just your evening parties and black tie galas. Pair a crystal-embellished bag with a simple, neutral look to update your favorite pieces as a welcome twist.

Get shopping, below, on my choice crystal bags for going out or not, I promise they won’t disappoint.

LoL, Sandra

Embellished Cleo shoulder bag by Prada

Skull Four-Ring studded crystal clutch bagicon by Alexander McQueen

Hourglass crystal-embellished cross-body bag by Balenciaga

Cubo crystal-embellished leather shoulder bag by Dolce & Gabbana

Crystal-embellished clutch bag by Benedetta Bruzziches

The Falabella mini crystal-embellished vegetarian brushed-leather shoulder bag by Stella McCartney

Roman Stud medium crystal-embellished quilted suede shoulder bag by Valentino

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht / David Biedert Photography, Courtesy of the Brands
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise.
icon

Celebrating the Year of the Tiger in Style

With the Lunar New Year falling on February 1, the year of the tiger has officially arrived. Tigers symbolize strength, power and fearlessness so as we reach the Lunar New Year, I am channeling all of the tiger energy I can get (not so hard… haha, I was born in the Year of the Tiger).

As China is still a huge market in the fashion industry, many luxury brands have hopped on the train to release their festive capsules inspired by the Year of the Tiger and to promote the holiday on their global social channels, among them blockbuster brands such as Gucci, Dior and Louis Vuitton. Below you can find the best capsules collections of 2022:

The symbol of strength and bravery takes center stage in the new BALENCIAGA Year of the Tiger series, which largely consists of pre-existing seasonal lines updated with a new tiger motif.

BOTTEGA VENETA is going big for this Chinese Lunar New Year. The house has taken over a piece of the Great Wall of China in its latest large-scale activation celebrating the annual holiday. Bottega’s signature green shade mixed with a vibrant tangerine color (a symbol of luck in Mandarin) is digitally displayed across a massive chunk of one of the seven Wonders of the World.

BURBERRY evokes the power and strength of the tiger zodiac sign in this limited-edition collection dedicated to the Lunar New Year.

This year, the DIOR tiger will bring you strength and luck as he roams around the blooming garden, illuminated by glowing lanterns. For men, Dior Men’s Artistic director Kim Jones has teamed up with American artist Kenny Scharf to celebrate the New Year of the Water Tiger.

DOLCE & GABBANA pays homage  to the Year of the Tiger with a unique collection: the iconic print  is intertwined with the tiger pattern,  revived in different colors.

ETRO launches a capsule collection starring the strong and courageous Tigress, a character from the animated cartoon film Kung Fu Panda by DreamWorks Animation. Created in collaboration with Universal Brand Development and DreamWorks Animation, the unisex fashion and accessories collection reinterprets the symbolism of the tiger in a funny and unexpected way, portraying the heroic kung fu moves of the characters Ping Xiao Po, Tigress, Shifu, Mantis, Crane and Monkey on T-shirts, sweatshirts, shirts, scarves and a selection of bags, accessories and small leather goods made with the iconic Paisley print.

FENDI celebrates the Spring Festival and the Year of the Tiger with an exclusive capsule collection that updates the brand’s signature style codes with intense colours and a daring animal print.

In celebration of the holiday, different versions of the animal define a curated selection of ready-to-wear and accessories—highlighting the multifaceted nature of the GUCCI universe. Rich with significance for the House, the animal expresses the Creative Director’s fascination with the beauty of nature. For a detailed post, click here please.

For Chinese New Year 2022, LANVIN ‘s sculptural cat designed by Armand Albert Rateau that embellishes the Pencil Cat bag disguises itself as a tiger.

LOUIS VUITTON mounts a tiger tail at the new flagship store in Chengdu. The shop features original artworks and furniture crafted by Chinese artists and designers to showcase the house’s commitment to local art and culture. Meanwhile, to celebrate the Year of the Tiger, the house presented a special art installation that features a giant, textured tiger tail at the storefront, as well as a capsule collection.

In occasion of Chinese New Year, MARNI celebrates the Year of the Tiger through a capsule collection in collaboration with Venezuelan artist Magdalena Suarez Frimkess, a long-time friend of Marni. A limited series of accessories and ready-to-wear designs, across both female and male collections, turn Suarez’s distinctive illustrations into prints, embroideries and jacquards, bringing the artist’s imaginative work into the free-spirited world of Marni.

To celebrate the Year of the Tiger in the Chinese zodiac, MIU MIU presents a collection of T-shirts printed with big cats in animation. They range in spirit from bouncy and cute to heroic, and from ubiquitous to unexpected.

Celebrating the Year of the Tiger, MOSCHINO‘s creative director Jeremy Scott has put together a special capsule collection featuring the icon of all frosted cereal flakes, Tony the Tiger. From ready-to-wear pieces such as oversized tees, hoodies and sweatshirts to bold accessories like the cereal box clutch, you’ll be the sharpest-looking tiger this CNY.

PRADA is celebrating the Lunar New Year with «Action in the Year of the Tiger», a combined campaign and project dedicated to safeguarding this legendary animal.
The Prada Group is also contributing to the conservation of endangered Amur tiger by making a donation to «Walking with Tiger and Leopard» Programme of China Green Foundation.

Tiger in Wonderland – to celebrate the Lunar New Year, FERRAGAMO has invited Chinese artists Sun Yuan and Peng Yu to create a unique print inspired by the 2022 Zodiac Tiger. I am obsessed with the bag.

In celebration of the Year of the Tiger, discover this exclusive capsule by STELLA MCCARTNEY honoring the occasion and the zodiac animal – with organic cotton pieces and cruelty-free accessories featuring prints by airbrush artist Albert Seleznyov, raising awareness for the conservation of these sacred creatures.

VALENTINO‘s first acquaintance with the tiger dates back to its Haute Couture F/W 1967 collection. In celebration of the Lunar New Year, the Italian Maison brings back the Valentino Tiger 1967 collection as a tribute to the Chinese heritage and a nod to its friendship with the country.

VERSACE beckons the Year of the Tiger with a classy capsule collection of new interpretation of the favourites of the Italian brand. A print showcasing the magnificent tiger resting within golden Baroque flourishes is introduced for the capsule, as well as a vibrant new year red colour that runs through it.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise.

Prêt-à-Portea F/W 2021 at The Berkeley

Arriving perfectly dressed for the new season, the F/W 2021 Prêt-à-Portea collection at The Berkeley Hotel in London showcases couture cakes inspired by designers from Ganni to Gucci. A contemporary twist on afternoon tea, this playful and stylish edit is set to become another favourite for sweet-toothed fashionistas.

This season’s collection opens with a striking ensemble from Balenciaga Couture – reimagined as a velvety mandarin cheesecake, topped with an oversized chocolate hat. While a delicately spiced and intricately iced biscuit – complete with red lipstick and oversized glasses – is our pastry team’s fitting tribute to fashion icon Iris Apfel’s 100th birthday.

Seasonal flavours are firmly on the menu, with the cassis mousse with blackcurrant jelly, depicting Stella McCartney’s psychedelic jumpsuit. A Pink Lady apple pavlova is a refreshing nod to Giambattista Valli’s avant-garde look, and a hazelnut dacquoise with salted caramel sees cult Danish brand Ganni make its Prêt-à-Portea debut.

The season’s centrepiece is a made-to-share red velvet mascarpone mousse, finished with a chocolate truffle riding hat – straight from Gucci’s 100th anniversary collection.

As always, your tea also includes elegant canapés and sandwiches, with a selection of loose-leaf teas from our extensive collection.

Until 2 January 2022, festive Prêt-à-Portea will be served only, from £79 per person. This will include our fashion-inspired delicacies, as well as festive treats and your choice of a mocktail, a glass of champagne or a glass of mulled wine.

From 11 – 14 Feburary, 26 & 27 March and 15 – 18 April 2022, the seasonal Prêt-à-Portea will be served only, from £79 per person. This will include our fashion-inspired delicacies, as well as seasonal treats and your choice of a glass of champage or a mocktail.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © The Berkeley and Courtesy of the Brands
DISCLOSURE: This post is not sponsored.

Stella McCartney x Beatles – Get Back

Two years after her first THE BEATLES capsule collectionStella McCartney reveals a new collaboration with the famous band, timed to Peter Jackson’s documentary, «The Beatles: Get Back», which debuted on Disney+ this Thanksgiving weekend. The three-part film chronicles – with cuts from over 60 hours of never-before-seen footage and unheard recordings – covers the making of the Beatles’ 1970 album «Let It Be», which had the working title of «Get Back».

For the occasion, Stella, who is the daughter of Beatles Paul McCartney, developed a limited collection using a mix of iconic and less-familiar Beatles images and graphics, all produced to the same rigorous, sustainable standards as her main line.

It is featuring graphic prints and off-duty silhouettes, the new genderless Get Back capsule celebrates music, community and positive change. Every piece is unisex and is available exclusively in Stella McCartney stores and on Net-à-Portericon.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Stella McCartney
DISCLOSURE: All products featured on Sandra’s Closet are independently curated by me. However, when you buy something through the retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

My Look: Power Shoulders

One jacket, two looks. Power shoulders have always made a strong statement in fashion and they work with pants and skirts. The strong shoulder is most associated with the 80s, but it first had a heyday in the 30s and 40s, as a sign of women’s liberation, when the female suit was primarily birthed. I love this versatile Balenciaga jacket that comes with a built-in skirt. One piece, many options and styles … statement fashion for the woman of the new 20s.

My look: Oversized plaid wool jacket with built-in skirt detail (2017) by Balenciaga, cropped high-rise wide-leg jeans by Stella McCartney, cashmere circles appliqué scarf and logo striped oversized silk shirt, both by Prada, New Abby tweed sailor cap by Maison Michel, JW-charm gold-plated choker by JW Anderson, bean embellished leather toteicon by Simone Rocha, Vita suede platform sandalsicon by Amina Muaddi, Lady Excalibur watch by Roger Dubuis, and leopard face mask by Dolce & Gabbana.

LoL, Sandra

 Photos: © David Biedert Photography
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise.

Phoebe Philo Is Launching Her Own Brand

Amazing news for all fashion addicts. Our beloved Phoebe Philo announced that she is returning to the world of fashion with an independent, namesake label with LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton as a minority investor.

«Being in my studio and making once again has been both exciting and incredibly fulfilling,» Philo said in a brief statement. «I am very much looking forward to being back in touch with my audience and people everywhere. To be independent, to govern and experiment on my own terms is hugely significant to me

A graduate of London’s Central Saint Martins fashion college, Philo was classmates with Stella McCartney. Being close friends, Philo joined Stella at Chloé in 1997 as her design assistant succeeding her as creative director in 2001 when McCartney left to set up her own fashion house in a joint venture with Gucci Group.

With her amazing personal style, Philo succeeded in accelerating Chloé’s rejuvenation and catapulting it into the high-margin leather goods business. During her tenure, Chloé’s look was widely copied by fast-fashion chains and she created hit handbags like the Paddington (see photo below) and Silverado.

In 2006 Philo left Chloé. During this break from the industry, she moved back to London to be with her family and had her second child. In 2008, LVMH offered her a job as creative director and board member of the French Maison Céline, where she set up her studio for the company and continued to work in London whilst showing in Paris. She agreed, and presented her debut collection the next year to much critical acclaim.

In 2017 after 10 years of working at Céline and much speculation in the media it was announced that Philo would step down as the creative director of Céline after the Pre-Fall 2018 collection.

Phoebe Philo’s work at Céline redefined what women aspire to wear, with her minimalist aesthetic, clean lines and tonal colour palette gaining traction with critics and consumers alike. Consistently name checked by fashion insiders as the label they want to wear, Philo successfully resuscitated a tired Parisian house and recast it as an imperative part of each season’s fashion dialogue.

It is said that Phoebe has had a small team working in London since late last year to set up her own company.

«I have had a very constructive and creative working relationship with LVMH for many years. So it is a natural progression for us to reconnect on this new project. I have greatly appreciated discussing new ideas with Bernard Arnault and Delphine Arnault and I am delighted to be embarking on this adventure with their support,» Phoebe explained.

Bernard Arnault, chairman and chief executive officer of LVMH, called Philo «one of the most talented designers of our time

«We have known her and appreciated her for a long time. Phoebe contributed to the success of the group through her magnificent creations over several years,» he said. «With this in mind, I am very happy to partner with Phoebe on her entrepreneurial adventure and wish her great success.»

I am so excited to see Phoebe’s first collection as I still love to wear all her previous designs at Chloé and Céline. According to an interview with WWD, Phoebe Philo’s eponymous label create clothing and accessories «rooted in exceptional quality and design.» More details about her new brand are said to be revealed in January 2022.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Phoebe Philo, Chloé and Céline

Street Style Zurich: Anouk

As promised here are all the details of the beautiful young look my daughter Anouk wore in yesterday’s post with me. I love how she gave the cropped top such an edge by combining it with a floral dress and Dr. Martens.

Get her look: Off-the-shoulder cropped cotton-blend jersey sweatshirticon by Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini, Embry ruffled floral-print georgette midi dressicon by Reformation, Rose des Vents necklace in rose gold with diamonds and red lacquered ceramic by Dior Fine Jewellery, Falabella crossbody bag by Stella McCartney, Jadon patent leather platform boots by Dr. Martens, and Ivy sunglasses by Foster Grant.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © David Biedert Photography
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise.icon