“It’s quite a laid-back part of the world,” said Stella McCartney of the Bay Area during a private luncheon held at Neiman Marcus in San Francisco’s Union Square on Wednesday, April 8. “There’s an element of utility for what [San Francisco women] need their clothes to do for them,” she added. Demonstrating that idea, a key element of her design philosophy, McCartney arrived wearing a chic yet practical denim shirt and pants from her spring ’15 collection to spend the afternoon with Joy Venturini Bianchi, Yurie Pascarella, Christine Suppes, Barbara Brown, Karen Caldwell, and Sonya Molodestskaya.

McCartney’s fall 2015 collection reflects her practical approach to design and included revised versions of classic closet staples including overcoats, blazers, evening wear and great knits. “We really started looking at what pieces women fall back on, that we all rely on, and how could we modernize them and give them a new twist.” To showcase the understated garments McCartney created, the second floor of the department store was converted into a secret garden complete with pink English roses spelling out the designer’s name. Guest’s names were written with wooden Scrabble letters and Falabella handbag-shaped cakes were served after the vegetarian lunch, another nod to the brand’s cruelty-free consciousness. “We’re obviously a very responsible house,” said the designer. “Everything that we build on is coming from a place of consciousness. We work with no leather, no fur, and no PVC in our manufacturing and fabrication.” Instead, the line’s hallmark animal patterns celebrate wildlife. “We love the kind of energy the animals give,” McCartney said. “We much prefer to promote them in a different way other than killing them.”

By Jennifer McCullum

 

Pictured: Stella McCartney at Neiman Marcus in San Francisco.
Photo by: Drew Altizer

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