Stella McCartney and author Jonathan Safran Foer launch sustainable collection to highlight climate crisis

Pieces made using fabrics such as organic cotton and regenerated cashmere

Stella McCartney has launched a sustainable capsule collection in collaboration with bestselling author Jonathan Safran Foer.

The collection, titled We are the Weather, is inspired by Foer’s book of the same name which recommends eating less meat and aiming to eat no animal products before dinner, as a way to save the planet.

Upon reading a draft copy of the title, McCartney, a lifelong vegetarian who has put environmentalism and animal rights at the centre of her brand for decades, felt inspired to bring Foer’s words to life through the medium of fashion.

In a bid to personify the novel’s spirit of positive change, McCartney launched a capsule of pieces adorned with statements from the book, such as knitwear and accessories featuring the slogan “we are entirely free to live differently”.

Elsewhere, handwritten messages from Foer radiate from graphic sun illustrations, while ribbons embroidered with messages are draped over sharp Savile Row tailoring and regenerated cashmere sweaters come printed with the ”SOS” motif previously seen at McCartney’s autumn/winter 2019 collection.

In keeping with the capsule’s environmentalist spirit, all of the pieces are made using sustainable fabrics such as organic cotton and linen, and regenerated cashmere which comes from textile waste created during the production process.

On Instagram, the luxury fashion brand marked the release with an accompanying photo series showcasing the collection. However, this was a photo shoot with a difference.

Pieces in the collection feature statements from Foer's book "We are the Weather" (Stella McCartney)

Shot by documentary photographer Lee Whittaker and stylist Lee Trigg, the clothes were modelled by residents of an island off the coast of Canada, where people live “off the grid”.

“Shot by @Lee__Whittaker and styled by @ltrigg on a Canadian island where the inhabitants live totally off the grid and believe in a low-impact life, this collection drives the point of sustainability and celebrates everything we stand for,” the brand wrote.

Speaking to Another magazine, Whittaker described the island as “essentially a forest, with wild goats roaming free, surrounded by water”, adding that the tight-knit group of residents sought “something outside of ‘normal life’” by living self-sufficiently, using solar energy and growing their own food.

Few designers in the fashion industry as dedicated to sustainability as McCartney.

Over the years, the brand has championed the use of innovative materials such as “fur-free-fur”, vegetarian leather and viscose fibres sourced in a way that helps to protect ancient forests.

The capsule was made using sustainable fabrics such as regenerated cashmere (Stella McCartney)

The label also recently introduced a garment labelling system called Clevercare to its ranges, which helps remind customers to consider the environment when washing and caring for their clothes.

The We Are the Weather capsule collection is available to buy from today.