The rewilding and rechilding of Stella McCartney Spring 2023
Living harmoniously with nature, returning to the innocence of childhood, embracing our wild selves – this is Stella McCartney Spring 2023.
Rooted in the notions of rewilding and rechilding, Spring 2023 is made for an untamed Stella woman living freely and in harmony with Mother Earth. Our most sustainable collection to date, it is made with 85% conscious materials.
A bold celebration of nature and youthful confidence, its sentiment began with the scientific work of naturalist Miriam Rothschild and Knepp Farm, who fully gave their land back to Mother Earth – allowing her to rebalance herself and restore wildlife without disturbance. Stella was moved by this and is now working with ecologist and reintroduction expert Dereck Gow to rewild her own countryside farm, inspiring a collection that combines native flora and fauna with a sense of childhood naivety.
Captured dichotomously in both natural and industrial settings, a mood-lifting palette blooming with sunflower yellow, rose pink, poppy red and lime green defines the season’s optimistic offering. Hand-drawn prints of British animals being rewilded are illustrated on forest-friendly viscose pieces, including deer, hedgehogs, badgers, hares and extinct lynx. English bird species like goldfinches, woodpeckers and kingfishers take wing on screen-printed trousers and fluid jersey vests.
Evolving the lynx’s feline aesthetic, tiger prints feature on recycled polyester oversized coating, menswear tailoring and denim with circular hardware fastenings, while ocelot spots are blurred on PVC-free sequinned cut-out dresses, all-in-ones and Fur Free Fur coats innovated from a new wool alternative. Tiger continues on plant-based denim, alongside vintage-effect floral digital prints this Spring 2023.
Wild feelings of rechilding are expressed through hand-crocheted flowers stitched together on patchwork dresses, broderie anglaise finishes and monochromatic looks in lime and pink. Sexy bodycon dresses in sunflower yellow compact knit explode into silk bubble skirts, while compact knit and silky double-satin dresses detach into flowing bands. Fluid fabric wraps around rings on double-satin dresses reinforce brand codes of circularity, with petal-like cut-outs and sleeveless cape tops.
A new brand symbol representing a harmony and balance with nature, the S-Wave features on a range of bags and low and mid-top vegan trainers – crafted from a plant-based alternative to animal leather repurposed from grape waste. Spring sandals include puffy-soled Air Slides, the Skyla in stretch Alter Mat with a chunky sole and Falabella chain details, as well as strappy Cowboy styles on a wooden block heel. The Elyse platform shoe is revisited as a playful vegan clog.
