Stella McCartney Debuts a MyloTM Bustier Top and Trouser Set
Last fall, we had the honor of announcing the Mylo™ consortium – four iconic companies that have banded together to bring our sustainable leather alternative to the world. Today, we’re excited to share an update on Mylo’s journey to scale with consortium partner and long-term collaborator Stella McCartney.
The pioneering designer offers a peek into her design process with the first-ever Mylo garments, and the results are gorgeous.
The bustier top and utilitarian trousers made with Mylo debuted in a Vogue exclusive feature and were worn by actress and environmentalist Paris Jackson. The garments’ designs are informed by Stella’s effortless sensuality and signature dichotomy of feminine and masculine attitudes. Both were handcrafted from panels of our Mylo material laid on recycled nylon scuba at the brand’s atelier in London, combining an avant-garde perspective with an athleticism aligned with both Stella McCartney’s Summer 2021 and Autumn 2021 collections.
“I believe the Stella community should never have to compromise luxury desirability for sustainability, and Mylo allows us to make that a reality.” – Stella McCartney
One of the first designers to ever use Mylo in her studio, Stella has been instrumental in bringing the material to life and providing invaluable feedback to help evolve it into the high quality leather alternative it is today. These garments symbolize a new era of sustainable fashion ushered in by innovative partnerships between deep science and high design. While these garments are not currently available for sale, they demonstrate the potential of Mylo and pave the way for future commercial offerings.
“I believe the Stella community should never have to compromise luxury desirability for sustainability, and Mylo allows us to make that a reality,” says Stella McCartney. “These rare, exclusive pieces embody our shared commitment with Bolt Threads to innovate a kinder fashion industry – one that sees the birth of beautiful, luxurious materials as opposed to the deaths of our fellow creatures and planet.”
Since the beginning, Stella has broken the luxury fashion mold by never using animal leather, skin, fur or feathers in her collections. Her innovative approach to luxury and advocacy for sustainable materials in the industry makes her the perfect partner in designing a better future with Mylo. The leather alternative is made from infinitely renewable mycelium, the underground latticework of fungi that provides nutrients to surrounding plants and trees. Our scientists have developed a state-of-the-art process to grow and process mycelium into a material that is soft, supple, and completely animal-free.
We are fortunate to have already launched several key moments for sustainable materials with Stella over the past several years, including the MoMA Gold dress, adidas by Stella McCartney tennis dress, and a one-of-a-kind mini Mylo pouch at Paris Fashion Week in 2019. The first-ever product made with Mylo was a prototype of Stella’s iconic Falabella bag, which made its debut as part of the V&A’s Fashioned from Nature exhibition the same year as the material itself.
“Working with Stella and her team over the past several years has been critical to getting Mylo where it is today, from its aesthetics and performance to its growing demand,” says Bolt Threads Founder and CEO Dan Widmaier. “We couldn’t have reached this step toward large-scale production without her long-term partnership and dedication to our shared mission of revolutionizing the fashion industry.”
As our consortium partner, Stella has continued to work with material samples and provide critical feedback during the development process to help give Mylo an unmistakable resemblance to leather with a low environmental impact. These pieces are an exciting peek into the design process and what’s to come from Stella and our consortium partners. We can’t wait to share the next milestone with you all as the journey continues. Follow @mylo_unleather on Instagram and sign up to never miss a Mylo update.