Stella McCartney A/W 2018

Mood Board: These are busy days for Stella McCartney. The designer is currently in the midst of a much-talked about process to buy 50% of her company back from Kering, a bold move that proves how confident she is in her own brand. And why shouldn’t she be? Not only is her womenswear a strong commercial success, barely a year after debuting, her menswear line has also come together at an impressive rate. So much so, in fact, that this season she decided to show them both simultaneously. The show took place at the Opéra de Paris, on a mirrored catwalk which rendered the neo baroque decorations of Charles Garnier even more sumptuous.
Best in show: 'All is not as it seems', read the show notes. Indeed, it wasn’t. This was a collection about classics, basics and trompe-l'œil, in which corsets made their appearance (reminding us the glorious time when, in the late 90s, Stella was the queen of the corset), but this time attached to minimal sleeveless dresses. The same went for slips and sweaters and, for the boys, hoodies and coats turned out to be one and the same. Comfort was on the menu as well, mainly expressed through a vast array of sneakers, worn with everything and this time handcrafted without stitches or hooks to avoid the usage of toxic glues.
Team work: The real star of the show, though, were the final few dresses, featuring mosaic-line printings of the works of Joseph Henry Lynch. The British artist, who died in 1989, was known the 60s for his mass produced paintings of sultry women…and for the way Stanley Kubrick used them in A Clockwork Orange. It’s touches of British eccentricity like that one, paired with a realistic approach, that keep Stella McCartney’s clients coming back to her stores again and again.
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
-
Venerable British car-maker AC goes OTT with the high-output, low-slung AC GT SuperSport
Pitched at all-American fans of the original AC Cobra, the GT SuperSport is a fearsome two-seat roadster with more muscle than ever before
-
The dynamic young gallerists reinvigorating America's art scene
'Hugging has replaced air kissing' in this new wave of galleries with craft and community at their core
-
Out of office: the Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the week
While a few of our editors were in Europe for various showcases and launches, others stayed local, uncovering new cuisines, eccentric exhibitions and glorious gardens this side of the Channel
-
Haute Couture Week A/W 2025: what to expect
Five moments to look out for at Haute Couture Week A/W 2025 in Paris (starting Monday 7 July), from Glenn Martens’ debut for Maison Margiela to Demna’s Balenciaga swansong. Plus, ‘new beginnings’ from JW Anderson
-
Donna Trope celebrates the power of the Polaroid in Paris
‘Polaroids used to be my rejects, and now they are my holy grail,’ says the beauty photographer, as she shows rarely seen images in a Paris exhibition
-
Palace unites with Rapha to celebrate inaugural Tour de France Femmes
Marking the first time women will compete in the historic cycling race since the late 1980s, this new collaboration sees Palace Skateboards and Rapha create uniforms for both on and off the bike – including an ‘outlandish’ pair of Crocs
-
Paris Fashion Week A/W 2022: Chanel to Miu Miu
In this extended report, Wallpaper* updates you live from Paris Fashion Week A/W 2022 shows, with rolling coverage as runway events unfold
-
Scene-stealing runway sets from S/S 2022 womenswear shows
From giant roulette wheels to Olympic diving boards and multi-city synchronized extravaganzas – our pick of the best fashion show sets from S/S 2022 womenswear
-
Louis Vuitton A/W 2020 Paris Fashion Week Women's
-
Chanel A/W 2020 Paris Fashion Week Women’s
-
Y/Project A/W 2020 Paris Fashion Week Women's