STELLA McCARTNEY PAINTS THE TOWN- "YES"

STELLA McCARTNEY-S/S 2010 - PHOTO: MARCIO MADEIRAAt least that is what the colorful backdrop painted by Trey Speegle spelled out at McCartney's show this week.   This subtle message, and the collection that followed, made it evident that Stella McCartney is in an upbeat mood for Spring 2010.   There were casual day looks and flirty, colorful pieces to wear at night.STELLA McCARTNEY-S/S 2010 - PHOTO: MARCIO MADEIRA

Something changed in Stella during the last 2 years.   Motherhood has definitely matured her tastes and her approach.   There is a marked difference in these collections.   Fall 2009 had serious but sexy lace pieces, and now Spring 2010 is blooming in colorful prints with flamenco ruffles that take you away!    It is the sophistication level that has changed.   Like great art work, harder to explain in words, but something you can just feel.  

McCartney first made a name for herself at the House of Chloe, succeeding Karl Lagerfeld as he ended his second stint at Chloe.  Karl helped put the house on the map in the 70's.  Stella burst onto the scene with the, then new, approach of mixing tailored suiting with soft, feminine items.  I was at those first Chloe shows in Paris and the collections were exciting and fresh.   As strong as those original suits were, this Spring 2010 Collection is stronger.  STELLA McCARTNEY AGAINST TREY SPEEGLE'S BACKDROP

Stella has matured in other aspects as well.  Each season, she has her runway backdrops painted by an artist whose work she appreciates, many times incorporating the work onto the invite to the show.   Also, there are contracts for several different collections that add another dimension to Stella McCartney as a brand.   The one- off collection for H&M, the new children's collection for GAP, and of course her ongoing collection for Adidas (All Day I Dream About Stella).   

Most Kudos should be given for her refusal to use leather in any of her collections of RTW, Accessories, or shoes.   A strict vegetarian, Stella has never budged from her stance on the issue, which is VERY difficult for any fashion house that is growing a business internationally.    Reason being, there are far fewer customers who can appreciate the value of a designer shoe, if it is not leather.

Physically, McCartney has changed as well.   Gone are the chubby cheeks of her youth.   In their place, motherhood has given her cheek bones!  Also, a lean, sinewy figure that suddenly makes her tiny frame seem 10 feet tall on the runway.    When she started at Chloe,  there was so much talk of her young age and baby face.   Well, make no mistake, Stella McCartney is all grown up.   After all, she is a wife, a mother, and at the helm of an international fashion house - that's not kid stuff!

To see the full collection, visit - STYLE.COM