# Alternative Leather Fashion Stella McCartney's Fall Collection Touts "Skin-Free Skin" By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2017-03-22 | Fashion Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/skin-free-skin References: [vegnews](http://vegnews.com/articles/page.do?pageId=9199&catId=1) & [vogue](http://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2017-ready-to-wear/stella-mccartney/slideshow/collection) Although faux leather has existed for many years now, designers like Stella McCartney are putting an emphasis on using [cruelty-free materials](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/leather-alternative-1) in the fashion industry—her latest Fall 2017 Ready-to-Wear collection featured what she calls "Skin-Free Skin." The newest Stella McCartney Fall collection unveiled at Paris Fashion Week featured the designer's new [vegan material](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/myco-travel-pouch), which was developed as a highly realistic and luxurious-looking alternative to real leather and suede. Skin-Free Skin was used in the making of many items from the collection, including everything from [faux leather pants and coats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fw25-vegan-leather) to shirts and handbags. As Stella McCartney reflects: I am so excited that we have finally developed fabrics that look just as good as the real thing, and therefore genuinely pose a question to the industry about why anyone needs to use leather anymore." ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.9/10 - Popularity: 83% | Activity: 57% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 10% men, 90% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Fashion](https://www.trendhunter.com/fashion) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Cruelty-free Fashion:** The trend of using cruelty-free materials in the fashion industry, as seen in Stella McCartney's Fall Collection, presents opportunities for designers to create realistic and luxurious alternatives to animal-based products. - **Vegan Materials:** The rise of vegan alternatives, such as Stella McCartney's Skin-Free Skin, offers possibilities for the development and adoption of high-quality, animal-free fabrics in various industries. - **Sustainable Fashion:** The emphasis on sustainable materials, exemplified by Stella McCartney's faux leather collection, opens up avenues for innovative and eco-friendly approaches to fashion production. ### Who This Affects Most - **Fashion:** The fashion industry can capitalize on the trend of using cruelty-free materials to create realistic and luxurious alternatives to leather and suede, like Stella McCartney's Skin-Free Skin. - **Textile Manufacturing:** The textile manufacturing industry has an opportunity to invest in the production of high-quality vegan materials, like Skin-Free Skin, that can be used across various product categories. - **Accessories:** The accessories industry, including handbags, can explore and adopt the use of cruelty-free materials, such as Stella McCartney's alternative leather, to meet the demand for sustainable and animal-friendly products. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Plastic-Free Circular Bags](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/stella-mccartney-3.md) - [Cruelty-Free Leather Alternatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/crueltyfree-leather-alternative.md) - [PETA-Approved Leather Alternatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/biodegradable-leather-alternative.md) - [Retrospective Chic Fashion Capsules](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/prefall-2026-collection.md) - [Luxury Mycelium Bags](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/stella-mccartney-frayme-mylo.md) - [Vegan Leather Collection Launches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fw25-vegan-leather.md) - [Hyper-Realistic Faux Fur Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ducies-fw25-collection.md) - [Fruit-Based Leather Alternatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/peelsphere.md) - [Designer-Backed Skincare Lines](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/stella-mccartney-1.md)