The model showcases new versions in mycelium python and apple-based croc as Stella McCartney extends its cruelty-free playbook.
Stella McCartney has handed the keys to her Elyse shoe to Amelia Gray, tapping the model to highlight a silhouette that blends subtle Savile Row rigor with off-duty ease. Introduced in Winter 2014, Elyse quickly found a place in wardrobes from Beyoncé to Oprah, in part because its stacked sole adds height without the usual sacrifice in comfort.
This season, Gray leads a limited capsule that builds on the brand’s material research. The release arrives in tonal grey and navy, plus two editions that trade conventional exotics for next-gen substitutes: a python pattern grown from mycelium and a crocodile finish made with repurposed apple waste. Each pair sits on an FSC-certified wooden wedge and a saw-tooth micro-sole, then heads to Italian workshops where every component, down to the glue, stays vegan.
Gray’s campaign wardrobe underlines the shoe’s range. She moves from tailored jackets to lingerie and Stellawear pieces, proving Elyse can leave the studio, walk the street, and land at dinner without a shoe change.
Behind the design is a firm environmental stance. PETA estimates that fashion still claims more than a billion animals for leather every year, including about 500,000 pythons and 1.5 million crocodiles. WWF research adds that animal agriculture drives four-fifths of Amazon deforestation. Stella McCartney, leather-free since launch, answers those numbers with alternatives that keep both animals and forests off the invoice.
For shoppers who want a personal stamp, select boutiques and the brand’s website will add brass initial charms. The capsule lands worldwide on 7 August, alongside the new customization service, and will remain available only while the run lasts.
