She's The Man

With her debut collection of sustainable menswear, Stella McCartney shows the world why she is the thinking man’s choice. Theresa Harold reports.

- Theresa Harold

When STELLA MCCARTNEY launched her inaugural menswear collection, she didn’t do it with a catwalk or a showroom presentation. Instead, she gathered the great and the good of the showbiz world for a party at Abbey Road Studios — because of course she did.

But this wasn’t a #fashun party with canapés, cocktails and a cooler-than-thou DJ. This was Run DMC’s Darryl McDaniels killing it with “Walk This Way”. This was Beth Ditto belting out “Standing in the Way of Control”. This was Mike D of Beastie Boys introducing “Sabotage” with a rant about the US election (“It’s interesting because the lyrics to this song that is now 20-years-old, fit this current situation”). This was giant pizza boxes with Stella McCartney’s face printed on them. This was models actually eating said pizza. In short, this was no average Thursday night in north London.

Let’s rewind. Earlier that day, the lofty interior of the Abbey Road Baptist Church had been commandeered for the purpose of prepping a small army of models: Tall boys with haircuts direct from the 1990s; tall girls with make-up that looked make-up-free. In the corner sat Stella McCartney, wrapped in an oversized, quilted black coat, giving interviews and submitting graciously to selfie requests.

One thing you’ll notice behind the scenes at a Stella McCartney show is how very comfortable all the female staff look. No, that isn’t code for “unpolished”. Instead, these women are the epitome of cool in flat shoes and straight-leg jeans. Think Victoria Beckham closing her show in Stan Smiths and a white shirt. Then know this, McCartney, more than anyone, pioneered this new fashion uniform.