Stella McCartney has become the first to create clothing from mushroom leather
Stella McCartney
The 49-year-old fashion designer has teamed up with Bolt Threads to use Mylo, a leathery fabric made from the root system of fungi, for a black bustier top and utilitarian trousers.
Although the pieces won't be made available to purchase, McCartney plans to use the fabric in her upcoming collections.
McCartney - whose eponymous label avoids using leather, feathers and fur - commented: “I believe the Stella community should never have to compromise luxury desirability for sustainability, and Mylo™️ allows us to make that a reality."
McCartney previously used Mylo for a prototype of the brand’s signature Falabella handbag, which was later featured in the Victoria & Albert Museum’s Fashioned from Nature exhibition.
Mylo is soft, resembles vegan leather and is made from the infinitely renewable mycelium, and the two pieces were handmade from panels of mycelium-based material laid on recycled nylon scuba fabric at McCartney’s London atelier.
Dan Widmaier, founder and chief executive officer of Bolt Threads, said: “At Bolt Threads we know that what worked for a planet with 1 billion people won’t work for a planet with 10 billion, which is why the need for smarter material solutions is more critical than ever.
“Since the early days of developing our Mylo material, Stella has been instrumental in bringing it to life and helping to evolve it into the high-quality leather alternative it is today."
It comes after McCartney recently launched a sustainable collection made from what was left from previous seasons and requested materials from other retailers.
Sir Paul McCartney's daughter said: “A lot of these pieces are limited edition because when we run out, we run out. I don’t care if I’m cutting off my nose to spite my face, I’m going to save the bloody planet. We’ve got to find other people’s waste."
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