It grew into the McCartney A to Z Manifesto – a map of our DNA and a blueprint of our future intentions; everything we know, believe and love about fashion. I wanted to define who we are and who we hope to be. It is a guide to keep us accountable and a challenge to be the best sustainable fashion house anywhere.

Untitled_S, 2020

© Hajime Sorayama

It has our signature lightness of touch; fashion needs hope and humour. However, our collective sense of urgency means it’s time to make it all stick – to stand up and act. But what does that mean?

Having been in fashion for 20 years, I have been thinking a lot about our wider impact. How can we reduce what we produce? How can we do more with less? How can we be truly zero waste?

Untitled, 1972

© Eggleston Artistic Trust, courtesy of David Zwirner

Moving forward in our upcoming collections, we’re pledging to further minimise our waste and use of raw materials, and to increase our use of repurposed and upcycled fabrics. We will continue questioning our approach and searching for better, vegan solutions to create the most sustainable clothing without ever sacrificing timeless luxury or dreamy desirability.

Untitled, 2020

© Cindy Sherman

Today’s youth are tomorrow’s leaders – and they are already asking how and where our products are made. Their shared optimism and activism are a reminder to never accept things as the industry says they should be, and to see the potential of what everything could be. With a progressive eye on diversity, inclusivity and women, we will support these creators and activists.

Untitled self-portrait, 1975

Photographer: Linda McCartney

© Paul McCartney

Returning to the world, we need to come together to speed up positive change. During that global moment of pause, we all saw that nature can heal. What’s beautiful about the days we’re living in is that out of such trauma, disruption and reflection, this really is a time of hope.

At Stella McCartney, with every letter of this A to Z brought to life in the work 26 amazing artists, we pledge to deliver on our promises and do everything better. Furthermore, we will do it with love for what we do, each other, our fellow creatures and Mother Earth.

Accountability, 2020

© Rashid Johnson

THE ALPHABET AND THE ART

During lockdown, I reached out to a collection of 26 artists asking if they’d collaborate by picking a letter and visualising it with free rein. Many have been intimate friends for years or that I’ve met organically on my travels through fashion; some I just connected with because I’ve always admired them, while others are next-generation talents I am giving a platform to start their careers during this difficult time.

I was astonished when each of them kindly agreed to create a piece to go into our A to Z, and it has been a huge privilege and joy to work with them. My gratitude is boundless. Each artist’s letter is essential to our visual dictionary of the conscious intentions we live by every day we go to work – and will be elaborated on in our collections in the coming weeks.

THE A TO Z OF STELLA

A is for Accountable 

B is for British

C is for Conscious

D is for Desire

E is for Effortless

F is for Falabella 

G is for Grateful

H is for Humour

I is for Intimacy

J is for Joy

K is for Kind

L is for Linda

M is for Mindful

N is for Nature

O is for Organic

P is for Progressive

Q is for Question

R is for Repurpose

S is for Sustainability

T is for Timeless

U is for Utility

V is for Vegan

W is for Womanhood

X is for Kiss

Y is for Youth

Z is for Zero Waste