British fashion designer and sustainability activist Stella McCartney announced that she’s launching her second pair of 100% vegan Adidas Stan Smith sneakers — and they’re a bold take on the sportswear brand’s bestselling kicks.
McCartney shared the exciting news on her Instagram feed on Thursday, November 21. She wrote, “They’re colorful, they’re iconic and they are 100% vegan. The new Stella #StanSmith is available on December 2. Sign up in the link in bio to get early access.”
The 48-year-old launched her first Stan Smith sneaker made of faux leather in 2018, which featured stars along the sides of the shoes, the designer’s signature in black script and an illustration of her face on the tongue of one of the sneakers. This year, the footwear got a colorful upgrade with the help of multicolored details, like rainbow laces and colorful stars.
In an interview with British Vogue about the making of the sneaks, McCartney explained, “The Stans usual glues were replaced with animal-free alternatives because glues typically used in the production of shoes and accessories derive from fish or animals.”
McCartney also opened up about how the sneakers originally came to be. “A few years ago, my husband (Alasdhair Willis) commissioned Adidas to make me a special pair of vegetarian Stan Smiths for my birthday as he knew how much I love the iconic trainer.”
She continued, “It got me thinking… so every time I saw the Adidas team, I’d say, ‘why can’t you make all your Stan Smiths veggie?’ It took a lot of convincing, and then finally we collaborated on the first pair of vegan Stan Smiths.”
The mom of four has been designing fashionable athletic wear for the brand for over ten years. Right now, there are over 101 items available on the brand’s website, ranging from sneakers and bags to tank tops and shorts.
McCarney’s not the only one launching sustainable footwear. On Thursday, November 17, Kanye West unveiled the Adidas Yeezy Foam Runner at Fast Company’s Innovation Festival. The new kicks are partially made from algae, which designer Steven Smith called, “the beginning of the future.”
