By Mimosa Spencer
PARIS (Reuters) – In a nod to the war in Ukraine, Stella McCartney closed her namesake label’s winter catwalk show to the music of John Lennon’s anti-war ballad “Give Peace a Chance”.
Models wound around glass-encased corridors atop the Pompidou Center, parading sleek, bohemian-flavored dresses with pockets and slit balloon sleeves while the rhythmic music played, with sweeping views of Paris as a backdrop.
“I believe very firmly in peace and love and obviously to use John’s song, who was my dad’s best friend…it just shows for me, it’s a personal song that reflects the whole world’s thoughts, I hope, right now,” McCartney told reporters after the show, referring to her father, Paul McCartney.
Some fashion designers have spoken publicly about their struggle to find the right tone for their shows and make the decision to carry on with Paris Fashion Week events while the world is focused on the Ukraine crisis.
The French capital hosts the final stretch of industry shows that also took place in New York, London and Milan, and wraps up on March 8.
In Milan, Georgio Armani acknowledged the crisis by cutting music from his catwalk show.
In Paris, Balenciaga creative director Demna Gvasalia spoke of his experience as a refugee from Georgia and offered guests Ukrainian flag T-shirts, while Isabel Marant took a bow for her label’s show wearing a blue and yellow top. nL2N2V90CN
“Obviously I’m anti-war…My heart goes out hugely to the people of Ukraine and it’s heartbreaking, it’s a traumatic experience to witness so one can only imagine what those poor people are going through,” said McCartney.
Her label is part of luxury group LVMH, which, along with Hermes, Gucci-owner Kering and Chanel, announced on Friday a suspension of operations in Russia.
(Reporting by Mimosa Spencer; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
