There’s a six-letter word that Stella McCartney can’t bring herself to use, and that can be tricky given the industry in which she works. “Resort is not a season, it just does not compute in my head. I grew up on an organic farm, with seasons. It’s spring, it’s hopeful — and it conjures a lot more than resort,” said the designer, who took her men’s collection — and what she called women’s spring 2019 outing (although she still will show a spring collection in Paris in October) — back to Milan for the first time in four years.
Her rites of spring unfolded in a sprawling garden off Corso Magenta, with pasta, pizza and watermelon stands; bars serving one of Milan’s favorite aperitifs, the Aperol Spritz, and an outdoor pub showing the England-Tunisia World Cup match. (England ended up beating its rival 2-1.) Her models played table tennis, bowled and posed in groups for the camera while guests took in live acts by London bands Cosmo Pyke and Nadia Rose.
The evening presentation capped Milan Men’s Fashion Week, and featured a mix of tailoring, streetwear and knitwear for men, and ultra-feminine broderie anglaise and silk printed dresses for women. Shoes were a big part of the show, with towering platforms for women — McCartney is working a short-hemline, stacked sole combo for spring — and chunky sneakers, and a few flashy loafers, for men.
“The two collections really complement each other,” said McCartney, who has always put a masculine twist on her women’s wear and whose men’s wear has many a soft edge. On Monday night, she was her own billboard for that coed aesthetic, wearing a fitted jumpsuit adorned with zippers, and completing the outfit with a pair of white heels.
Both collections embodied McCartney’s eco-ethics, with T-shirts that said “Go Veggie,” originally created by her parents, and clear non-PVC platform sneakers and shoes. Men wore tailored track suits and tops made from recycled polyester, regenerated cashmere tank tops and organic cotton sweaters. Roomy tattersall shirts were embroidered at the front and there were some sharply tailored suits, too, with patch pockets and fluid trousers.
For women, McCartney showcased the new brand logo, her name spelled out in diagonal letters, on silk dresses and bags. There was also a lineup of tiered broderie anglaise dresses as well as short dresses and cowboy jackets with long swooshing fringes. “We’re trying to have fun, to celebrate life. It’s so natural for us to find this little pocket of greenery — and it’s nice to have that newness,” the designer said.
To see the women’s looks, click here.