Yoshitomo Nara and Stella McCartney unveil second collab

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Jan 5, 2023

Stella McCartney and Yoshitomo Nara have linked up again for SS23 following their sold-out collab of two years ago. The British label’s second unisex capsule featuring the Japanese artist’s work “brings attention to meaningful issues, with the cheeky resistance and youthful rebelliousness of his illustrations uniting a new generation of changemakers around shared activism, aesthetics and a love for animals”. 

The ready-to-wear and accessories capsule is complemented by Summer 23 runway pieces as well as a “mini-me offering” for Stella McCartney Kids.

McCartney said the just-launched collab has a “free-spirited, punk attitude” with Nara drawings featuring signature sinister children, creatures and countercultural slogans.

Nara said of this: “Stella has an iron will, with heart. In our first collaboration, Stella chose which of my artworks she wanted to use and played around with them freely when integrating them into her designs. This time, I selected the artworks I wanted her to use and she once again had the freedom to place them as she wished in her pieces.” 

The collection launch also comes with a sequence of shots taken in Harajuku and Shibuya, “where talents” Aoi Yamada, Lucia Karikomi, Kojiro Asai and Marika Ito are wearing key pieces from it.

The items include pieces in a neutral palette, such as organic cotton jersey T-shirts, fleece hoodies and joggers, plant-based poplin shirting and shorts, classic wash wide-legged denim and silky daytime pyjama sets in gradient soft pink, alongside a graphic double-faced bomber with vegan Alter Mat sleeves. There’s also knitwear featuring ironic illustrations of sheep, rabbits and other animals. 

The vegan accessories include Elyse platforms, recyclable Loop trainers, Gaia espadrilles and Fur-Free Fur pool slides, plus canvas bucket hats, caps and tote bags crafted from organic cotton and recycled materials.