Stella McCartney to launch first commercial luxury bag crafted from mycelium

British fashion brand Stella McCartney is to launch the world’s first-ever luxury bag crafted from mycelium, the root-like structure of fungi at a commercial level this summer.

The Stella McCartney ‘Frayme Mylo’ will be available from July 1 and marks a milestone for the British conscious brand and a significant progression in vegan material innovation for fashion.

The British brand has had a long-term partnership with Bolt Threads, the creators of Mylo since 2017, and has been working with the biotechnology company since the inception of the fabric, which looks and feels like leather, to showcase how science combined with high-fashion design can offer a sustainable alternative.

The ‘Frayme Mylo,’ which first made its debut on the catwalk during Paris Fashion Week in October 2021, is handcrafted by Italian artisans who have been trained to work with the eponymous mycelium-based alternative to animal leather. The bag includes an oversized recyclable aluminium chain strap that runs around the bag and a zamac statement medallion.

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The bold vegan bag is re-energising classic brand codes inspired by Stella McCartney’s ‘Falabella’ tote, the brand’s first vegan luxury bag introduced in 2009, and has sold more than 1 million. The ‘Falabella’ was also the first prototype Mylo product from the brand, which debuted as part of the V&A’s Fashioned from Nature exhibition in 2018.

Dan Widmaier, founder and chief executive at Bolt Threads, said in a statement: “It’s been an honour to partner so closely with Stella and her team as they break new ground in luxury fashion with Mylo.

“Their category defining leadership of animal-free fashion and championship of sustainable materials is paving a path forward towards a more responsible fashion industry. Bringing the first-ever luxury bag made from Mylo to market is a massive milestone for conscientious consumers, the biomaterials industry, and the future of luxury fashion.”

The first commercial drop of the ‘Frayme Mylo’ will be limited-edition, with the bags numbered 1 to 100. It will be exclusive to Stella McCartney boutiques, priced at 1,995 pounds from July 1.