Stella McCartney Takes Vogue Behind the Scenes at COP26

Stella McCartney is all too familiar with the whirlwind of fashion month, but more recently, she’s been getting used to rubbing shoulders with world leaders as well. “My new political career is flourishing,” she joked while in Glasgow for COP26 this week. “I didn’t study that at [Central] Saint Martins, funnily enough.”

After meeting the likes of U.S. president Joe Biden at the G7 summit over the summer, the designer has been attending the United Nations climate conference to once again highlight the urgent need for fashion to reduce its impact on the planet. “Coming here to COP has been really great for me, because I’ve been laughed at for the majority of my career,” the designer told the British Fashion Council’s Caroline Rush during a UN panel this week. 

McCartney has been reiterating the need for more regulation and policy to support the industry, particularly when it comes to incentivizing brands to make more environmentally-friendly choices. She’s also been campaigning for fashion to stop the use of both animal leather and furs—a call she admitted might be considered controversial. “Even now, I think I’m getting some negative backlash being here and talking about this,” she said. 

Showcasing some of the vegan alternatives on offer, the designer displayed a series of new-gen materials—from Mylo leather made from mushroom roots to Evrnu, a fully recyclable fibeR made of discarded clothing—at her Future of Fashion installation at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, which was visited by Prince Charles and actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio. 

Ensuring fashion is on the map when it comes to the broader climate conversation, the designer has also been sharing the stage with activists like Vanessa Nakate, as well as John Kerry, the U.S. special presidential envoy for climate, and legendary marine biologist Sylvia Earle. 

Below, McCartney takes Vogue behind the scenes of her COP26 experience.