Stella McCartney is leaving the French group LVMH after five years of collaboration. She has repurchased a minority stake in her fashion brand. However, the split appears to be amicable. The designer will continue to advise LVMH and its leadership on sustainability matters as a global ambassador.

Interestingly, this is Stella’s second exit from a conglomerate – back in 2019, she also bought back her brand from Kering, LVMH’s main competitor in the luxury goods market.

Stella McCartney has been interested in fashion from an early age. At just 16, she worked as an intern for the famous designer Christian Lacroix. In March 1997, two years after graduating from Saint Martins College of Art and Design, Stella McCartney was appointed Creative Director of Chloé, replacing Karl Lagerfeld. In 2001, she left Chloé to establish her own eponymous label, a stake of which she immediately sold to Kering (then known as PPR).

Stella McCartney was one of the first designers to reject the use of natural fur and leather. While this has become a mainstream trend today, selling luxury products made from eco-leather and faux fur in the early 2000s was a significant risk. However, as we can see, it didn’t prevent Stella McCartney from becoming a successful brand throughout its years of existence.

Photo: Instagram @stellamccartney

Stella McCartney has been recognized as PETA’s «Person of the Year». Representatives of the leading international animal rights organization highlighted the designer’s commitment to excluding fur and exotic animal skins from her collections. Additionally, she plans to phase out the use of natural feathers in the near future.

«I have felt a connection to this bold, rebellious movement since childhood, from our joint video calling for a ban on fur farms in the UK in 1998 to my pledge to eliminate feathers in the fashion industry by 2024», — McCartney remarked.

She also expressed pride in her team, who share her vision of raising awareness about animal and human rights.

«I hope to put an end to animal suffering once and for all», — the designer added.

PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk commented on McCartney’s recognition:

«Stella McCartney’s call to protect cows and birds is yet another example of her decades-long efforts to create fashion free of leather, fur, and feathers. We are proud to name her our «Person of the Year 2024» and urge brands still using animal-derived materials to follow her lead».

Photo: Zoe McConnell/WWD, @RichardPhibbs