Stella McCartney has long been a pioneer of cruelty-free fashion. Since launching her eponymous brand in 2001, the designer has refused to use leather, exotic skins, fur, or feathers in any of her clothing.
But this stance hasn’t held her back, thanks to her embrace of vegan alternatives. Over the years, McCartney has experimented with everything from mushroom-based leather to pineapple leaf fibers to plastic-free fur. And now, she has a new innovative material to add to the roster: Fevvers.
Fevvers
Yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like—feathers, but made without any birds.
McCartney debuted the new material at Paris Fashion Week earlier this month. The entire Spring/Summer 2026 collection was themed around The Beatles, with the title “Come Together.” McCartney’s dad is, of course, Paul McCartney, one of the four members of the world-famous group (who is also a passionate vegetarian).
“It’s weird to me that feathers being plucked from a bird are seen as delicate in fashion,” McCartney said backstage, according to The Guardian. “I’m trying to show that you can still have the theater of fashion without the animal compromise.”
Stella McCartney pioneers cruelty-free materials, without compromise
McCartney has always pushed fashion forward, not just for the sake of animals, but for the planet, too. And she often uses her platform to encourage other brands to follow suit.
This pioneering stance came before a wave of designer labels, from Gucci to Versace to Dolce & Gabbana, started announcing fur bans. Even entire fashion weeks have gone fur-free now, including those in London and Copenhagen. Paris, however, has yet to make the leap.
Back in 2016, McCartney told Luxury magazine: “We have captured a luxury and richness with our fur-free fur, which is proof to the fashion industry that killing animals for the sake of fashion is unnecessary.”
But McCartney’s new vegan feathers mark another major step forward. The material, created by the London-based brand Fevvers, is described as “light, layered, and full of movement.” McCartney’s show at Paris Fashion Week was the material’s debut, but hopefully, other brands will be inspired to partner with the innovative textile company.
Fevvers
“I am beyond excited to be working with Fevvers,” McCartney said in a statement. “The innovation is just insanely beautiful, and we have created some of the most striking couture pieces I have ever seen. It’s not only the world’s first plant-based feather alternative, but it’s also proof that brands who continue to use feathers are choosing cruelty over creativity.”
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England's southern coast.
