By Dara Clariza Evangelista
There’s a certain energy in Paris when fashion week collides with performance, when a runway becomes more than just a showcase of clothes. Stella McCartney knows how to set that stage. Before her Spring 2026 collection even began, the audience at the Centre Pompidou was greeted by Helen Mirren reciting the lyrics of “Come Together” as poetry, turning The Beatles’ anthem into McCartney’s rallying cry for unity and sustainability.
For the designer, fashion has always been about more than garments. She builds worlds, messages, and moments. This season, her world was delivered through “The Stella Times,” a playful newspaper placed on every seat, filled with interviews, innovations like carbon-absorbing denim, and her famously unfiltered headlines. The statement was clear: the brand is committed to pushing creativity alongside environmental responsibility.
Photos: Instagram/@stellamccartney, @MatteoPrandoni
On the runway, silhouettes were bold and varied. Shoulders came with dramatic swagger, while waists were sharply defined. Classic corset shapes and sculptural shoulders reappeared across oversized jackets, skater dresses, and wide-hemmed baby-doll looks embroidered with color. Some pieces leaned theatrical, with skirts so broad they called to mind Marie Antoinette, while others embraced sleek solutions, like brightly colored body-con gowns with high slits and streamlined white minis.
Photos: Instagram/@stellamccartney, @MatteoPrandoni
McCartney’s fabric choices told their own story. Feathery textures on lavender gowns and pink bodysuits were crafted from painted greenery, not animal feathers, while oversize puffball tops evoked birds in flight without harm. Sequined eveningwear dazzled, too—shiny purple strapless gowns created from recycled bioplastics and even lab-grown seaweed materials, proving luxury can be innovative without losing its sparkle.
Photos: Instagram/@stellamccartney, @MatteoPrandoni
The show wasn’t just about the clothes; it was about star power as well. Robin Wright, Ice Spice, Jenna Coleman, and Woody Harrelson joined Mirren in creating a red-carpet-worthy prelude that matched the spectacle inside.
Photos: Instagram/@stellamccartney, @MatteoPrandoni
At its heart, Stella McCartney’s Spring 2026 was a blend of activism and artistry. It was a reminder that fashion can be playful, powerful, and principled all at once. For anyone looking to live more consciously without giving up glamour, Stella’s wardrobe of wild things felt like an invitation to dress boldly and tread lightly.
Photos: Instagram/@stellamccartney, @MatteoPrandoni
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Jasmine Curtis-Smith is on the cover of STYLISH Magazine right now, as she shares her thoughts on good storytelling in films, as she’s set to star in upcoming movies Open Night, a 2025 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival sapphic film entry; and Manila’s Finest, an upcoming 2025 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) crime drama movie.
Read the Stylish Magazine September-October 2025 cover story here.
Watch out for a new #StylishPodcast episode featuring our cover girl Jasmine Curtis-Smith, dropping soon on Facebook and YouTube.
Stylish Magazine is “your source of self-love, style & inspiration” first introduced in June 2020. Our television series format, Stylish TV, once ranked one of the Top 50 Most Watched Multicultural Shows in the USA, can be streamed on iWantTFC and be watched on TFC (The Filipino Channel) in more than 50 countries. Watch it online here.
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