Stella McCartney

The Falabella is the bag most people come to Stella McCartney for, and it fits the house perfectly because the brand uses no leather or fur. It is the design that turned cruelty-free materials into a genuine luxury statement rather than a compromise, with its distinctive chain-trimmed edges as the signature detail. If you want a recognisable everyday tote that aligns with the label's animal-free values, it is the natural first buy.

A lifelong vegetarian, Stella McCartney uses no leather or fur in her designs, and the brand has leaned on that constraint as a point of craft rather than a limitation. The tailoring pedigree runs deep, since she trained on Savile Row with her father's tailor Edward Sexton before launching her own house. Buyers who care about animal-free luxury tend to find the make-up and finishing hold up well over years of wear.

It is built into the brand's DNA. McCartney is an environmentalist and active supporter of animal rights who often bases her designs around vegan production methods, and The Guardian has described her as a "consistent and vocal" supporter of animal rights. In December 2018 she announced a fashion-industry charter for climate action created with the United Nations, underlining how far her advocacy reaches beyond her own collections.

It is a key part of her story. In 1997 McCartney was named creative director of Chloé, a position she held until 2001, and that role established her reputation before she launched her own label. So the two names are linked through her early career, even though her eponymous house is an entirely separate venture.

Stella Nina McCartney, born 13 September 1971 in London, is an English fashion designer and the daughter of musician Paul McCartney and photographer and activist Linda McCartney. She studied fashion design at Central Saint Martins, graduating in 1995, with a now-legendary graduation show modelled by friends Naomi Campbell, Yasmin Le Bon and Kate Moss. That blend of fashion training and a famously creative family shaped the brand from the start.

She launched her eponymous fashion house in 2001 in a joint venture with the Gucci Group, now Kering, presenting her first collection in Paris. Before that she had spent four years as creative director of Chloé. The label has since grown into freestanding stores in cities including New York, London, Los Angeles, Paris and Milan.

The designer herself. After 17 years with Kering, in 2018 McCartney bought out its stake and took full control of her house, then entered a strategic partnership with LVMH the following year. In January 2025 she repurchased the minority stake LVMH had held, returning the brand to full independent ownership while she continues to advise LVMH on sustainability as a global ambassador.

It is one of the longest-running partnerships in the brand's history. McCartney launched a joint-venture line with Adidas in September 2004, beginning a long-term collaboration that produced a women's sports-performance collection. Some pieces even carry her values openly, with one Adidas jacket printed with the line "suitable for sporty vegetarians".

Yes, the world is broad. She launched her first perfume, Stella, in 2003, introduced a 100% organic skincare line called CARE in 2007, added lingerie in 2008 and a kids' collection in 2010, and presented her first menswear collection in 2016. So beyond the womenswear and handbags, there is fragrance, skincare, lingerie, childrenswear and menswear to explore.

She designed the wedding-reception dress worn by Meghan Markle, and later created 46 replicas for her "Made With Love" capsule collection. She has also drawn on her own heritage, releasing "The Beatles: Get Back" collection in 2021. These moments show how comfortably the brand moves between high-profile commissions and personal storytelling.