Issue link: https://www.balharbourdigital.com/i/44746
Stella McCartney opens her new store at Bal Harbour just in time to showcase her buzzed-about Spring collection. BY MICHAEL DOUGHERTY pinks, nudes and taupe. So Stella T 34 BAL HARBOUR his December, Stella McCartney opens her fifth store in the United States, a Bal Harbour out- post that reflects the designer's green leanings: a devout lacto-ovo vegetarian, McCartney does not use leather or fur in her collections. The Bal Harbour boutique contrasts sculptural details with natural materials, including a bespoke sustainable oak parquet floor in a herring- bone design. And of course, the boutique features McCartney's signature color palette of pale Shoppers at the new boutique will be treated to McCartney's Spring 2012 collection, filled with graphic patterns, deck chair stripes and eye-catching colors that will not quit. Look for tailored jackets with a notched lapel, Falabella bags, cropped cigarette French cuff trousers and blouses with three di- mensional bow embroidery in a palette of black with chalk. The collection also entails mirrored hand- painted Hawaiian prints and evening wear that's a twist on classic black and white, three quarter length dresses with wooden beaded hibiscus embroidery. In 1995, when McCartney presented her graduation runway show at London's prestigious Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, her debut was not the usual earnest student affair. Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss modeled the collection on the catwalk and Sir Paul McCartney was in the au- dience. But if there were any doubts about the true talent of the rock royalty progeny, McCartney's ap- pointment to lead the French house of Chloé (in 1997) and the launch of her eponymous line in 2001 dispelled all doubt. Since then, McCartney has become a highly successful lifestyle brand that includes accessories, fra- grances and organic skincare products, drawing fans from Gwyneth Paltrow to Madonna and now, the shoppers of Bal Harbour. Clockwise from left: Stella McCartney, two looks from McCartney's Spring 2012 collection and the designer at this year's Met Ball, which she co-chaired. PORTRAIT BY MARY MCCARTNEY