Born and raised in London and the English countryside, Stella McCartney graduated from Central St Martins in 1995. A signature style of sharp tailoring, natural confidence and sexy femininity was immediately apparent in her first collection and after only two collections, in 1997, she was appointed the Creative Director of Chloe in Paris and enjoyed great success during her tenure.
Stella McCartney launched her own fashion house under her name in a partnership with Kering as a 50/50 joint venture and showed her first collection in Paris in October 2001. A lifelong vegetarian, Stella McCartney does not use any leather or fur in her designs. Her collections include women’s ready-to-wear, accessories, lingerie, eyewear, fragrance and kids.
Stella McCartney now operates 23 freestanding stores in locations including Manhattan’s Soho, London’s Mayfair and Brompton Cross, LA’s West Hollywood, Paris’ Palais Royal, Milan and Tokyo. Her collections are now distributed in over 50 countries through 600 wholesale accounts including specialty shops and department stores, as well as shipping to 100 countries online.
In addition to the main line collection, a long-term partnership with adidas was introduced in September 2004. The critically acclaimed sports performance collection “adidas by Stella McCartney,” has since successfully grown to include several athletic disciplines including running, gym, yoga, tennis, swimming, winter sports and cycling.
In 2003, Stella McCartney launched her first perfume “Stella.” In November 2005, the hugely successful one-off collection “Stella McCartney for H&M” sold out worldwide in record time. In 2008, a new lingerie line was launched. In November 2010 Stella McCartney Kids was launched, a collection catering for newborns and children up to the age of 14. In September 2011 Stella McCartney’s costume designs for the New York City Ballet’s Ocean’s Kingdom premiered in New York.
For the Olympic Summer Games in 2012, Stella McCartney was appointed Team GB’s Creative Director by adidas - the first time in the history of the games that a leading fashion designer has designed the apparel for a country’s team across all competitions for both the Olympic and the Paralympic Games. Also in 2012; L.I.L.Y, her latest fragrance launched. In celebration of London in 2012, Stella McCartney presented a one-off capsule evening collection during London Fashion Week.
The following awards have recognized Stella McCartney’s achievement in fashion and social awareness: VH1/Vogue Fashion and Music 2000 Designer of the Year Award (2000, NY), the Glamour Award for Best Designer of the Year (2004, London), the Star Honoree at the Fashion Group International Night of the Stars (2004, NY), the Elle Style Award for Best Designer of the Year Award (2007, London), Best Designer of The Year at the British Style Awards (2007, London), Best Designer of The Year at the Spanish Elle Awards (2008, Barcelona), honoured by the NRDC, featured in the Time 100 and recognized as a Glamour magazine Woman of the Year (2009, NY), Red Carpet Award by the British Fashion Council (2011, London), Harper's Bazaar Woman of the Year Awards' British Designer of the Year (London), Telva magazine's International Awards (Madrid), Designer of the Year and Brand of the Year by the British Fashion Council (London) and received an Honorary Fellowship from the University of the Arts London; funding a new scholarship at Central Saint Martins for designers who adhere to her ethical view. Most recently in March 2013, Stella McCartney receives the Elle Style Award for Best International Designer of the Year(London), H&M and Elle Conscious Award (Sweden) and was presented with an OBE, Order of the British Empire, award for excellence and service in the fashion industry.
