Nine Horses, No Leather and a My Little Pony Motif: Inside Stella McCartney A/W26

I've seen many an unusual sight at a fashion show, but never a herd of horses. Then again, I've never attended a show season during the year of the horse, which made for the perfect opportunity for that to change. An opportunity Stella McCartney wholeheartedly took at her Autumn/Winter 26 runway, inviting guests to "escape from external chaos and step into an equine world, experiencing the power, strength and majesty of a human-horse connection," according to the show notes.

Set inside Paris's Le Grand Manège Jean Caucanas, five black and four white horses took centre stage, opening the show and acting as a centrepiece as models paraded past. Working with equestrian artist Jean-François Pignon, the animals performed what could only be described as a dance: moving in and out of formations to the amazement of the audience, myself included.

It was said to echo Stella's life to date: an upbringing defined by freedom, humour and bold colour, formative creative milestones, and the brand we know today. Where masculine plays off against feminine, playfulness contrasts with precision, and the signature Stella McCartney design codes were present throughout: vegan-friendly fur, innovative materials and Savile Row tailoring.

Since the brand's inception in 2001, leather, fur, feathers and exotic skins have never once featured, and the dancing horses served as a reminder of Stella's deep love for animals. "The welfare, dignity and freedom of every horse featured remains paramount, and each one has been treated with the utmost care and respect at all times," the show notes confirm. While sustainable sourcing sits equally prominently throughout the collection.

Knitwear that appears to be crafted from wool is actually formed from a structural protein fibre created through precision fermentation, known as Brewed Protein. Denim is made from RCO100, a 100% pre and post-consumer waste cotton fibre recycled through a process that is entirely waterless and chemical-free. And the ink on the "My Dad Is A Rockstar" slogan vest is repurposed waste algae from commercial spirulina farms, producing a bio-based, carbon-negative black pigment known as Algae Black.

Then there's the My Little Pony motif that carried across the invitations, marketing materials and several of the knitwear pieces themselves. Proof, if it were needed, that fashion can carry an important message and still have a sense of humour about it.