The Tamesis
The reason for partnering with H&M to offer a comprehensive offering (and one that includes many of her biggest hits) is also because, as McCartney says, “I’m not an elitist designer, and I’ve always had a hard time coming to terms with the fact that most people who like my stuff can’t buy my stuff because of the price.” Additionally, being able to bring the lessons she learned working on private labels to larger fashion houses—hence her strategic alliances with several luxury goods groups—has been exciting to her. “Obviously, when you use the best materials, work with innovators, and grow mushrooms in a lab, the price is higher,” she continued. “But my goal is to penetrate from the inside and show people that they can work like this. Why do you think I’m in bed with Kering and LVMH? It’s like, if I can do it, you can do it too. I feel like I’m almost like a research lab, showing people you able Do this at every level. “
In fact, what’s most surprising, Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M’s top creative consultant and designer whisperer, told me as she was thumbing through the clothes on the shelves before McCartney arrived is that every piece is made as responsibly as possible. Labels are proudly displayed next to each piece outlining the materials used – organic cotton and silk, round viscose, wool from farms with strict animal welfare guidelines, textiles made from recycled raw materials – as well as information on the various innovative fabrics and techniques they incorporate. “We have third-party certifications for many of these products, so we’re not just talking the talk,” Johnson noted. “We work with a range of different external organizations to do this.”
Photo: Sam Rock/Courtesy of H&M
Photo: Sam Rock/Courtesy of H&M
It’s easy to overlook the efforts of retail giants like H&M to make all this happen – with a business model that some argue is fundamentally unsustainable. But at a time when so many brands are abandoning their sustainability efforts, many for political reasons, it’s nice to see one retailer doubling down: In addition to the partnership, H&M has launched an Insights Board with McCartney to further the conversation, with a goal of using 100% recycled or sustainably sourced materials by 2030. “We have some tough goals, but we’re continuing to achieve our goals in a very transparent way, and we’re working hard to make it as big as possible,” Johnson said of applying lessons learned from working with McCartney to the brand’s projects more broadly. “Some things are difficult to scale, but we can certainly apply them to more ranges. That’s generally how we work: we do it for smaller, more limited products. [offering]and then we can scale up. “
As for how McCartney viewed it: “The reason I did it was to go, okay, let’s start a conversation,” she said. “Yes, that’s fast fashion: it’s not perfect. Often, it’s terrible, but we able Make it less bullshit – sorry for my language. We can make positive progress. It can be better. This makes me very excited. “
