Stella McCartney’s New Fashion Collection is Opening Minds to the Fantastic World of Fungi
Stella McCartney’s Spring/Summer 2022 collection is a “psychedelic trip into nature, grounded in the notion that mushrooms connect us all”.
Credit: Stella McCartney
Fusing together nature and innovation, designers are creating a sustainable alternative to animal leather using mycelium: a sprawling, tangled network of fungi found in the soils underground.
One designer leading the charge when it comes to fashion and fungi is luxury sustainable fashion pioneer, Stella McCartney. Her Spring/Summer 2022 collection is a generous hat tip to the spellbinding properties of nature’s veins of the forest, featuring hand-drawn mushroom prints, contrasted with biophilic cut-out pieces and inspired by the documentary Fantastic Fungi.
Eye-catching collection items include a multicolored Hallucinogenic Cut‐Out Top, a fluo green, Transparent Crystal Maxi Dress, and an organic cotton-based Day Trip Jacquard Jumper.
Stella was supported by mycologist and Entangled Life author Merlin Sheldrake to help “tell the interwoven story of mushrooms and humanity – bridging our species’ past and providing hope for our planet’s future”.
“Mushrooms do not get the attention they deserve, largely because many do not understand them or are afraid of them. Our Summer 2022 collection chooses to optimistically celebrate fungi,” reads the fashion house’s website.
Moreover, the brand’s new range also embraces the material properties of fungi with the Frayme Mylo, the world’s first-ever luxury bag crafted exclusively from the certified, bio-based mycelium leather alternative, Mylo. The item was first presented at the Summer 2022 runway show and will be available commercially later this year.
“Realistic but not plastic, it helps reduce our use of petroleum-based products and does not contribute to animal agriculture – accounting for approximately 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions and driving the destruction of vital ecosystems like the Amazon,” adds the website.
Mylo is a mushroom leather made from mycelium that can be grown from fungi in weeks and has the texture and functionality of soft, supple animal leather. The groundbreaking, sustainable material can also be grown to fit the size and shape desired by the designer, which in turn removes the fabric waste that usually ends up on the cutting room floor. Designed to be low impact, Mylo emits far fewer greenhouse gasses and uses less water and resources than animal leather, leading experts to believe that it can help designers in their quest to become more planet-friendly.
Created by the world-class scientists and engineers at material solutions company Bolt Threads, it is known as one of the future fabrics of the fashion industry, as innovative designers increasingly look towards sustainable alternatives to materials like leather and plastic.
The new Summer 2022 collection at Stella McCartney’s #23OldBond flagship in London. Credit: Stella McCartney
“Fantastic fungi”
“If we want to save all our skins from the consequences of the climate and biodiversity crises, we need to stop fashion’s use of animal leather and furs,” said McCartney. “Mushrooms present a vegan alternative that can be grown regeneratively, renewably and quickly. How can you not be obsessed with these fantastic fungi.”
Dan Widmaier, founder and CEO of Bolt Threads, added: “With good reason, consumers are demanding sustainable material alternatives that also look and feel great.
“Working closely with Stella and her team of innovative designers has enabled us to make Mylo a no-compromise, animal-free alternative to leather.
“The Frayme Mylo bag is a huge milestone for sustainable fashion, making better material options accessible to consumers all around the world.”
A silk-free future?
While the new collection is entirely free from animal leather, fur, and feathers, some of the items do feature silk derived from silk worms
The silk industry is problematic for two reasons: to extract silk, silkworms are boiled alive in their cocoons - it takes around 6,600 silkworms to make just 1kg of silk. And silk can also place a huge strain on the environment - the 2017 Pulse of Fashion Industry Report found silk to be the second most polluting material for cradle-to-gate impact.
However, Stella McCartney is working towards entirely animal-free materials, with plans to hopefully incorporate Bolt Threads’ Microsilk in future designs. Inspired by spiders’ natural silks and the way they weave their webs, this vegan alternative has already been used in Stella McCartney’s biodegradable dress collaboration with Adidas.
The current Summer 2022 collection is available to explore and shop now.
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