I never want to promote an ad that makes women feel bad about themselves, because when I was young, I never felt rich enough or fashionable enough or good enough. I felt talked down to by luxury fashion labels. There was a disconnect. They made me feel we weren't right for each other.
Interpretation
Promoting body positivity and self-acceptance in advertising.
Stella McCartney emphasizes the importance of creating advertising that uplifts and empowers women, contrasting her own experiences with luxury fashion labels that made her feel inadequate. She advocates for a more inclusive approach that connects with women, allowing them to feel valued and confident rather than diminished by the marketing messages they encounter.
In practice
Sharing this quote at a fashion conference to discuss ethical advertising.
I've had people say to me, 'You'll never sell handbags. You don't work with leather, and leather is luxury.' To me, it's the complete opposite: leather is everywhere - it's so cheap a material; it's so mass produced. Over 50 million animals a year are killed just for fashion. For me, it doesn't have a luxury element to it.
It's not about what it looks like in the studio or on the runway. It's what it looks like on a real person that matters.
I think the moment that I'm very proud of is building a business without using animals. And, hopefully, changing people's perception of how you can do luxury fashion.
For women raised in the '70s, high heels can still carry a stigma; they're associated with being stupid, with just wanting to please a man. Other women find them empowering.
I always think the best way to dress is when the person notices you first and the dress after.
Women's sexy underwear is a minor but significant growth industry of late-twentieth-century Britain in the twilight of capitalism.
These heels are candy for the feet; they’re for pleasure, not practicality.
Whoever's designing for plus-size doesn't get it. The entire garment needs to be reconceived. You can't just take a size 8 and make it larger.
Elegance does not consist in putting on a new dress.
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