Kendall Jenner Takes the Reins for Stella McCartney

The Stella girl has always had standards; she's inimitably chic but responsible values are essential in her wardrobe. At the Stella McCartney A/W 23 womenswear show in Paris, models were joined by seven white Camargue horses inside the Manège de l'École Militaire - an ode to the designer's long-standing adoration of the elegant mammal. Guided by horse-whisperer, trainer and rescuer Jean-Francois Pignon, who uses a non-contact approach, the show was an ode to McCartney's long-standing respect for horses, suggesting the harmonious relationship man and nature can, and should, aspire to. For the collection's new campaign then, the Stella girl had to share McCartney's own experience of growing up around horses. Enter Kendall Jenner, supermodel and seasoned horse-rider.

Taking the reins for the Horse Power campaign, photographed by Harley Weir in the Camargue Salt Flats of France, Jenner is shot in unity with the horses guided once again by Pignon, forming a melodic visual composition. 'Capturing this connection brings Horse Power to life, both through the fashion and the vision', McCartney says. Although this is a full-blown fashion campaign, its spirit ultimately comes from the horses. 'Being able to witness and work with Jean Francois and his horses was incredible. I’ve never been that intimate with horses that are trained this way. Humans and horses have been reliable partners throughout history, and that mutual trust over time is probably why our connection is so powerful', Jenner adds.

At its essence, this idea of connection reflects the values of the Stella McCartney brand, with the A/W 23 collection classed as 92% sustainable, continuing the designer's pioneering use of new vegan and responsible materials.

The designer is proving that there can be luxury alternatives to leather using natural resources, without the harmful impact. In this collection, the brand used VEGEA - made from grapes sourced from the agricultural waste of Italian wineries - for riding boots, and Bananatex®, a durable and technical fabric made from banana plants from the Philippines, on bags. AppleSkin™, a leather alternative made from the 30,000 tonnes of apple waste created in Northern Italy - was also used for vegan crocodile-effect handbags.

Accessories, in particular leather goods, are key when it comes to the luxury market, and for A/W 23 McCartney showed a re-edition of the cult Falabella bag using MIRUM, which drapes down the side of a horse in one of the campaign images. This animal leather alternative is the only one on the market not to use plastic, and only uses natural ingredients and dyes created from natural rubber and materials.

In the March show, peacoats and skirts playfully referenced horse blankets; rope detailing and takes on the signature Falabella chain echoing bridle aesthetics. Boots extended over the knee present a contemporary take on riding attire, with moulded toes in the shape of hooves reflecting fashion's current obsession with surrealist accessories. The collection also featured coats, scarves and sweaters threaded through with signature equestrian themes such as jacquard fabrics in patterns inspired by the Appaloosa breed; elsewhere, prints were made from photographs of horses taken by the designer's late mother Linda and sister Mary, with one pattern inspired by McCartney's first horse, Harmony - an apt characterisation for Horse Power.