Stella McCartney has long been fashion’s most vocal animal-rights advocate — she famously eschews leather and fur in her all-vegetarian collections while speaking out against the mistreatment of animals. At Paris Fashion Week, she introduced a new fabric she calls “skin-free skin,” which looks just like leather but is actually an animal-friendly alternative.
While the brand has made shoes and bags in leather- and suede-like fabrics, this is the first time the designer decided to branch out to ready-to-wear. “I avoided using fake [leather] because it never looked luxurious enough,” McCartney told reporters backstage at her show, per the Guardian. “I am so excited that we have finally developed fabrics that look just as good as the real thing, and therefore genuinely pose a question to the industry about why anyone needs to use leather any more.” The British-equestrian-inspired collection featured rich suede mini dresses, leather paneled jackets, and slouchy trousers that looked appropriately cozy and luxurious for fall.
