Stella McCartney has bought back the minority stake in her eponymous brand previously held by LVMH, the companies announced last week.
“This new chapter for Stella McCartney reflects her desire to write a new page in her story independently, after working closely with the group to strengthen the fundamentals and governance of her house,” LVMH said in a statement shared with WWD.
As Fashionista reports, although the French luxury house will no longer have a hand in McCartney’s brand, the designer will continue to serve as LVMH’s Global Ambassador on Sustainability, a role she took on at the start of her brand’s partnership with the conglomerate.
McCartney’s success has been largely built off of her brand’s “sustainable” and cruelty-free ethos: There is no use of authentic leather, feathers, fur or skins throughout her designs; the glue used in the label’s shoes and bags is also free of any animal product.
Because of McCartney’s unwavering commitment to ethical production — particularly as it relates to climate justice — New York Times fashion director Vanessa Friedman theorized in a post to X that the move could be a response to LVMH’s close connection to the Trump family.
Since taking the office of the United States presidency in January, Donald Trump has pulled out of the Paris Agreement, marking a major setback for general climate change efforts, the fashion industry’s goal toward net-zero emissions and, as a result, the potential rise in unsustainable raw materials sourcing. Beyond the tangible impacts of the Trump administration’s actions, LVMH-owned brands also dressed multiple members of the First family for the 2025 inauguration events.
Bernard Arnault, founder and CEO of LVMH, was also among the inauguration’s many billionaire attendees. His son Alexandre (deputy CEO of Moët Hennessy) and daughter Delphine (CEO of Dior) were also present.
This isn’t the first time the designer has purchased back a company’s stake in her label. When McCartney first launched her brand in 2001, it was in partnership with the Gucci Group, which ultimately became part of Kering. After 17 years with the luxury conglomerate, the two parties ended their agreement, with McCartney reclaiming Kering’s 50% stake in her brand.
At the time, McCartney said in a statement, “It is the right moment to acquire the full control of the company bearing my name.” A year later, McCartney sold a minority stake to LVMH. Throughout her collaboration with the company, McCartney helped other LVMH brands reduce waste by introducing recycling and upcycling programs and launched a skin-care line in 2022.
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