The Tamesis
Let Stella McCartney be fashionably late to her own party, or maybe arrive on time. Twenty-one years after becoming the second designer to collaborate with H&M (the first being Karl Lagerfeld), the designer has launched a new collection with the Swedish retailer, with a shared vision and responsibility that spans past and present. “Reworking the pieces in my archives brought me a lot of energy and joy,” she said of the reunion.
The collaboration was met with initial enthusiasm, with the media at the time dubbing it a “shopping riot”, “McCartney-mania” and “Stella-mania” among others. The show, held in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood, seemed determined to match. DJ sets from Mark Ronson, Zuri Marley and Daisy O’Dell, followed by a surprise live performance from British rapper Dave, certainly hit the spot.
McCartney got out of her black SUV with Janelle Monáe and walked into an already packed room. Inside, fashion girls including Amelia Gray, Yasmin Wijnaldum and Lila Moss posed for photos wearing pieces from the unreleased collection, while boxes of Joe’s Pizza milled around. A group of models disguised as fashion partygoers eventually emerged from the crowd onto the stage, blurring the lines between fashion show and club while showcasing key looks.
“Celebrating it here in New York, surrounded by friends and collaborators, feels like a moment to reflect on how far our industry has come with sustainability, and to be honest about how far we still have to go together,” McCartney noted. Made with certified recycled fibers as well as alternatives to traditional fabrics like industrial corn, the collection underscores the lifelong environmentally conscious designer and H&M’s commitment to collective impact.
McCartney’s friend Reneé Rapp, who is promoting the new campaign (along with models Angelina Kendall and Adwoa Aboah), was also in attendance. It was a full-circle moment for the actress and singer, who looked back on her early days in the city after high school when she bought her first designer product. “This was the first time I was growing up on my own. I was making my own money and really wanted to buy something expensive,” Rapp told me Fashion. “The first thing I bought was a pair of Stella jeans – pink, paint-splattered balloon jeans. I still have them!”
Years later, Rapp’s connection with McCartney became immediate and personal. “I remember the first time I met her in person, she acted like we’d been friends for years. I’ve always been grateful for that, especially in a work environment, because it immediately took me out of myself and gave me some new perspective.”
Rapp, wearing a snakeskin bomber jacket and gray drawstring trousers from the collection, humorously recalled the moment McCartney called her to invite her to the campaign. “This asshole would FaceTime me at the most inopportune times and I would FaceTime her at the most inopportune times because she was in London most of the time and I was in Los Angeles,” Rapp laughed. “She said, ‘Reneé honey, we have to do this. We have to do this. When do we do this? We’re going to do this, right? “
It’s safe to say that the two have accomplished their mission.
The collection will be available in select stores and on hm.com on May 7th.
