STELLA McCARTNEY

Little Miss Stella

Stella McCartney is definitely a yummy mummy. The fashion designer and mother of four has announced the launch of a new childrenswear collection to sit alongside her existing kids clothing range. The capsule collection is inspired by the Mr Men books as Mr Men creator, author and illustrator Adam Hargreaves worked on some graphics for Stella McCartney in 2008.

Originally created for Stella as an invitation for her fashion show, Little Miss Stella has gone on to inspire a whole kidswear collection and a book. The 32-page book based on the cartoon will tell the story of what happens when Little Miss Stella meets Little Miss Nobody, who has a problem bumping into people because no one notices her. Little Miss Stella solves all Nobody's troubles by designing her a bespoke suit, magically transforming into "somebody". Ah the power of fashion!

The seven piece capsule collection of Little Miss Stella will include an orange parka, T-shirt, jumper, pyjamas, bag, and a baby all-in-one and will come with a set of fabric pens that can be used to draw on the items - if you want to. The range caters for newborns right up to 14 years old which seems a tad optimistic to me. 14 year olds in Little Miss? How sweet and innocent your kids must be Stella. Items from the Little Miss Stella collection will be available from August.

The announcement follows a rise in designer childrenswear and some kids surpass grown-ups in the style stakes. Last year stylish mummys got very excited about Lanvin childrenswear ‘Lanvin Petite’, a chic Parisian line of little skirts, leopard print and faux fur collared coats. 

Stella McCartney Black Dress

As the premiere for Sir Paul McCartney’s new video ‘My Valentine’ was held in daughter Stella McCartney’s West Hollywood boutique it is no surprise that many of the stars in attendance turned up in Stella’s designs. Stella McCartney’s body-con dresses, peplum hems and sheer panelling have been a red carpet favourite for the last year; sexy and easy to wear, her frocks flatter most figures.

Two ladies to catch the press’s attention at the premiere were ex-No Doubt signer Gwen Stefani and Australian supermodel Miranda Kerr as they wore similar black Stella McCartney dresses. You might expect Kerr, being a 28-year old supermodel, to outshine 42-year old Stefani but whilst Kerr showed off her model like figure to perfection, Stefani displayed a more hourglass silhouette and radiated confidence.

Gwen looked striking in her Stella McCartney trouser suit, complete with sheer panels around a peplum bustier and see-through portions down both sides of the delicate long-sleeved top.  Kerr’s dress boasted a daring wide split along the front of the frock and mesh panels down her left hand side. Both ladies wore their hair tied back and accessorized with a metallic clutch, to break up the black. Whilst Kerr opted for natural make-up, Stefani sported a flash of bright red lipstick.

Mother-to-be Reese Witherspoon also put in an appearance and didn’t let her pregnancy get in the way of her style as she rocked a black shift dress with cut-out detail on the arms and skirt. Kristen Stewart, Gwyneth Paltrow, Amy Smart and Ginnifer Goodwin were also in attendance. Kristen Stewart’s style looked a little haphazard as she teamed a black blazer with frumpy blue skirt, white shirt and flat black shoes.

Stella McCartney Glasses

High fashion label Stella McCartney has launched a collection of eco-friendly sunglasses for S/S ’12. As a life-long veggie, Stella has never used any fur or leather in her designs, but this is the first time that her ethical credentials have branched out to her eyewear range. The glasses are made from more than 50% natural and renewable sources.

Last summer when I set myself the ‘Ethical suitcase challenge’ (to see if I could only wear ethical and sustainable clothing for a week’s holiday in the sun) I looked at the options for sunglasses, and I admit, it was an area of ethical fashion I hadn’t before considered. Stella follows in Gucci’s footsteps who last year launched a sustainable range of sunglasses with Safilo, worldwide leader in the premium eyewear sector. Their frames were made from an innovative acetate which, compared to traditional acetate, contained a much higher percentage of materials from natural origins.

The frames launched by Stella McCartney are the result of extensive research to increase the use of raw materials from natural origins. Stella said: ‘Every industry should look at things differently, try to use different materials and question the sustainability of the materials they use now’. Stylish too, the sunglasses cost £144 to £156. There are large round framed styles, aviators and classic vintage shapes. My favourite for the new season is the 50s style vintage frames in tan (pictured); they will go with all of the new season trends and instantly lift an outfit.

Stella McCartney SweaterRemember the look of horror when Bridget Jones first spots Mark D’Arcy at the family Christmas party in that rather fetching (ok maybe not) reindeer jumper? Indeed Christmas jumpers have something of a reputation. They are something your Gran knits sincerely, or you might wear for comedic value. Or at least they were until this year when Christmas jumpers have become totally cool again.

Men, women and kids can all pull off the Christmas sweater look with style this winter. The A/W catwalks were awash with Fair-Isle knits and animal jumpers. It’s a look I wouldn’t have been seen dead in a few years ago, but now of course we all know granny chic is cool.

Markus Lupfer has made a name for himself as funky knitwear designer extraordinaire. His animal jumper designs have directly influenced many of the styles on the High Street. A particularly Christmassy offering is this red and white snowflake merino wool sweater, £285. It’s very easy to wear and exceptionally festive.

That said, I defy you to find any Christmas jumper more luscious than this one (pictured) by Stella McCartney at net-a-porter. Made from wool and alpaca blend, this chunky cream knit features polar bears and snowflakes but is at the top of the market at £670. For the designer look and feel at a lower price range try Jack Wills who have a range of cute Christmas jumpers. The Morford sweater (£98) features skiers, whilst the Whittendale (£98) crew neck features a classic Christmas pattern and is available in red or navy.

Last week, actress Kate Winslet wowed the crowd at Venice Film Festival in a figure hugging Stella McCartney dress. The clever design in nude had black panels to each side and a seam across the bust, giving the illusion of a small waist and perky breasts. In short, the dress gave her the perfect hourglass figure and she isn’t the only one to cotton on to the power of clever dressing.

Victoria Beckham, Kim Kardashian and Carol Vorderman have all been spotted in the same Alexander McQueen dress, designed by the late designer himself. This popular creation cost £2,500 and used black stripes on a white dress to give the illusion of an hourglass figure. Liv Tyler also wore a Stella McCartney frock in plain navy with black side panels. In some cases, designers are literally drawing the perfect shape onto the design.

Ah the power of illusion! My question is what took the designers so long? Fashion is all about flattering the figure and creating the perfect silhouette; a simple panel here, a little line there, can make all the difference. The trend was first seen in 2009 when Alexander McQueen and Herve Leger both showed clever figure-enhancing designs on the catwalk. By adding dark panels at the sides, inches can be lost off the waist when the wearer is standing against a dark background.