British ready-to-wear label Stella McCartney is once again shining the spotlight on the Falabella handbag. A tote bag made in a leather-alternative material, recognisable for the chain that profiles it and serves as shoulder strap, the Falabella has quickly become a statement item for the label, which since its inception has been distinctive for its focus on sustainability. For the Falabella’s 15th anniversary, Stella McCartney, founded by the eponymous designer, has released a tongue-in-cheek ad campaign featuring Cara Delevingne.
 

The British model and actor was lensed naked inside a giant version of the renowned handbag, posing for the recently released anniversary campaign. The celebrations kicked off on May 6 with a big party in New York, held at the Stella McCartney flagship store in Soho, where a host of celebrities gathered, among them French influencer Lena Mahlouf, British actor Hannah Waddingham, and activist model Quannah Chasinghorse-Potts.
 
The ‘Falabella Stellabration’ campaign will feature a number of events worldwide, and will coincide with the launch of four limited-edition models of the handbag, decorated respectively with lead-free crystal tassels, long faux-leather tassels, and with studs, while the fourth is made in crinkly silvery metal. The models are available online and in-store worldwide, and are priced from €850 to €1,995.

The Falabella, named after one of Stella McCartney’s favourite horse breeds, was launched in 2010 with the Fall/Winter 2009-10 collection, and became the label’s best-seller. A new version is released every season. Over the years, nearly one hundred Falabella models have been dropped, in different colours, sizes and materials, including backpack and clutch bag versions.
 
The anniversary is also the opportunity for Stella McCartney to highlight its commitment to sustainability. In a press release, the label said that, since the first version, the Falabella has been made in Italy by artisans using materials that are strictly vegan, “down to the glue.” Stella McCartney also said that jettisoning animal-derived materials has enabled it to innovate, creating new plant-based alternatives like Mirum, which is plastic-free and fully circular, Vegea, which utilises grape residue and by-products of the vinification process, and Yatay, made from a blend of agricultural waste and recycled fibres.