Stella McCartney’s “Save What You Love” is a mix of fashion, sustainability and a plea for bird conservation.
The show was conceived as a design and advocacy homage to birds in a cloud-free open air market on Avenue de Sax. Longtime ethical fashion advocate Stella McCartney wanted to prove that luxury can be compassionate as well as beautiful, and this collection proved it.
The show started with an inspirational narration of the “Save What You Love” manifesto by Helen Mirren, inspired by Jonathan Franzen’s book End of the End of the Earth, a collection that paints a picture of a world where the sky may lose its music if we do not act. The introduction resembles McCartney’s call for awareness for over the billions of birds slaughtered every year for fashion. Animal welfare informed every design detail, making the collection feel deeply personal and significant.
Designed by HBO Euphoria’s costume designer Heidi Bivens, the collection showed a soft femininity mixed with strong, masculine energy. McCartney experimented with volume and texture, from sharp, tailored suits with broad shoulders to flowy dresses. There were powder-puff soft creations based on regenerated nylon from recycled plastic bottles—an example of how McCartney continues to use sustainable materials.
Oversized power suits channeled ’80s fashion and gave the runway structure and drama.
Baggy denim jeans brought in a casual, sportier feel, while sheer, intricately draped dresses added a touch of sensuality.
McCartney never made minimalism too stark—she used sparkles, streamers, and loose silhouettes. Details like the fake feathers and cloudy bomber jackets showed that beauty can exist alongside ethics.
A new Ryder bag with a sloped back based on a horse’s frame was also vegan leather, another nod to McCartney’s rejection of animal products. Earrings and necklaces with dove designs made from recycled gold and silver from old electronics matched the bird conservation message.
Prince’s When Doves Cry soundtrack added a nostalgic but poignant layer to the presentation and helped promote saving the birds. No one could look away from McCartney’s values and her artistry as models strutted down the runway.
Guests included director Greta Gerwig, Natalie Portman, Hayley Williams, Tiffany Haddish, and Jameela Jamil in the front row.
This season, with birds as her muse, McCartney proved once again that fashion with a conscience is not only possible but can also be unmistakably stylish.
Watch Stella McCartney’s S/S25 show below:
