Stella McCartney’s Extinction Rebellion Campaign Advocates for “Complete Systemic Change”

“Hypocrisy at its finest.” “A confusing message.”

These are just a couple of reactions to Stella McCartney’s latest campaign featuring environmental activists from Extinction Rebellion (XR), the group that famously disrupted London Fashion Week earlier this year. While McCartney has long been known for her eco-friendly stance—she’s never used leather or fur, avoids discarding unsold products, and champions secondhand shopping—many found it surprising to see climate activists as models in a luxury fashion ad. One commenter noted that XR recently called for a year-long boycott of buying new clothes, raising questions about how that aligns with promoting fashion.

McCartney and XR anticipated the controversy, intending for the campaign to provoke discussion. They understand it challenges the conventional role of a fashion campaign. As some observers pointed out, though, the campaign also received praise for its boldness. The five women featured in Johnny Dufort’s photographs have committed to not purchasing new clothing for a year and have even petitioned to cancel London Fashion Week in favor of climate crisis discussions. Yet here they are, wearing McCartney’s thoughtfully designed, eco-conscious Fall 2019 collection.

“I think there’s an understanding between XR’s boycott and what Stella is trying to achieve,” said Tori Tsui, an XR representative and wildlife photographer who appears in the campaign. “She grasps the urgency of the climate crisis and why people are frustrated. The boycott highlights the emergency, but it’s not practical for everyone to stop shopping entirely. If you can’t, then buy sustainable. If you can’t go vegan, try reducing meat consumption. It’s about mainstreaming these ideas.”

Sara Arnold, an XR coordinator with experience in luxury fashion, echoes that sentiment. “Stella’s giving us a platform, and that’s starting a conversation. Fashion is one of the world’s most polluting industries, but it’s also incredibly influential. While the industry has limitations, there are no limits on how that influence can be used.”

In today’s visually driven, social media-centric world, McCartney’s decision to feature XR in her campaign feels more radical than using upcycled materials. Campaigns are powerful tools for delivering messages instantly, and it’s only natural they’ve taken on a political tone in 2019. Clare Farrell, another XR coordinator, reflects on the choice: “Typically, campaigns present fantasies—who you might be if you buy this. Featuring activists as models shifts the narrative, portraying activism as cool and relevant. If protests are going to become more frequent, they should look as stylish as possible.”

So, what is XR protesting exactly? The entire fashion system as it exists today. XR isn’t offering specific guidelines on sustainable sourcing or fabric choices. Instead, they’re pushing for systemic, industry-wide reform and targeting policymakers through non-violent civil disobedience to prompt urgent action. XR’s April protests in London, which led to over 1,000 arrests, marked the largest act of civil disobedience in recent British history.

“We aren’t here to provide exact solutions for designers,” Arnold said. “We believe citizens’ assemblies should decide that, informed by experts. The industry needs to hold crisis talks. It’s not just about switching from regular to organic cotton; we need to operate with an emergency mindset. Only systemic change can tackle the problem, and that means targeting governments, not relying solely on individual actions.”

Farrell adds, “The current fashion system won’t allow the necessary changes. If we’re still engaging in practices that caused the problem while claiming we want to save the planet, we’re exacerbating it. Changing the way business is done within this broken system isn’t enough when mass production has reached such unsustainable levels. We’ve wasted time trying to fix the problem using the tools that created it.”

McCartney has long echoed these sentiments, becoming more vocal in recent years about the need for true sustainability. In March, she criticized the fashion industry’s deceptive use of “sustainability” messaging and the environmental harm caused by leather. It’s likely McCartney and her team will join XR’s “international rebellion” in October, where the group plans to disrupt central London until the government takes emergency action on the climate crisis.

For Tori Tsui, XR’s openness is what drew her in. “Many people fear protests or worry about being labeled hypocrites,” she explains. “But we’re all hypocrites to some degree—it’s impossible to be perfect in an imperfect system. What matters most is that we show up and have conversations. We’re all in this together.”

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