Stella McCartney has paired up with Adidas to design the first fully vegan pair of the brand’s iconic Stan Smith trainers.
The shoe will retain the recognisable white, clean design with a few notable changes including a cut-out star pattern on the side, a burgundy and blue stripe on the back and McCartney’s image on one of the tongues, with the other featuring an illustration of the tennis player (and shoe namesake) Stan Smith.
McCartney first started collaborating with Adidas in 2005, designing the full Team GB kit for the London Olympics in 2012 and Rio Olympics in 2016.
The newest collaboration is hardly surprising given the 46-year-old designer’s life-long affiliation with all things cruelty-free: she is vegetarian; has never used leather, skin, fur or feathers in her own collections; and of course, is daughter of renowned animal rights activist Linda McCartney.
The sneakers, which have been debuted on her Instagram page, will be available from 10 September in stores and are already available to pre-order. But at £235 a pop, they don’t come cheap.
If they’re a little out of your price range, don’t worry. McCartney is not the first to release a vegan trainer. Schuh’s own brand White Bumpy Trainers are available for £19, while Veja have more than a few options. This dusty pink and wine red trainer is great for errands and to add character to a casual look (£89) or this Veja white canvas trainer with thick soles is a great option to dress up or down (£73.)
Or if you’d prefer your vegan trainer to have Pinatex technology, a textile made from pineapple leaves dyed with plant-based colours, this limited edition Hugo Boss trainer is for you.
If you’re just looking for an ethical alternative, these Ethletic Fairtrade Hi Tops are perfect (£57.95).
The announcement comes in the same week that London Fashion Week announced no designers will be using real fur on the catwalk this season, and Burberry will no longer use real fur in products (nor will they burn unsold stock).