Stella McCartney Goes Wool-Free in Paris Show Built Around 'Sea Life, Not Sea Food' Theme

Stella McCartney presented a wool-free collection at Paris Fashion Week built around a "sea life, not sea food" theme, showcasing wool alternatives alongside ocean-inspired clothing.

"There is no wool on the runway this season, and I'm proud of that," McCartney said after her show, according to The Guardian.

McCartney has spoken about animal rights at fashion week for three decades, often as one of the few designers to consistently raise the issue. This season, however, the topic has returned to wider attention following outcry over the physical restraining of a PETA protester at a catwalk show by Steven Kolb, president of the governing body for New York Fashion Week, which has put scrutiny on wool production alongside the more established debate around fur.

As part of her push for alternatives, McCartney has been developing Brewed Protein, a fermented alternative to cashmere and wool created in collaboration with Japanese biotech firm Spiber. The material was first used in her collections a year earlier.

McCartney said that "kindness requires real work," underscoring her continued emphasis on ethical and sustainable practices within the fashion industry.