Last year Yellow Submarine, George Dunning’s animated classic inspired by and featuring the music of the Beatles, celebrated its 50th anniversary. Revisiting it for the first time since her childhood, Stella McCartney, daughter of Paul and iconic contemporary fashion designer in her own right, discovered a wealth of inspiration and a joyously urgent message of peace that is as important today as it was in 1968.
“It’s shockingly modern, what those 4 young guys did. The beauty of the lyrics blows me away. I found that I was removing myself from the fact that it was family, and just finding myself as a fashion designer watching a piece of material that was massively and emotionally effective to me. We pulled apart the music, the lyrics, the psychedelia and the comedy and turned them into something new.”
McCartney’s new collection, “All Together Now,” comprises a broad array of pieces (for men, women, and children) inspired by the music and imagery of the Beatles and their message of peace and love. Featuring key pieces from the collection which draw directly from scenes and motifs in Yellow Submarine, the campaign stars up-and-coming musical talents Oscar Jerome, KEYAH/BLU, Joy Crookes, and Femi Koleoso. The campaign and its accompanying video is playful and colorful, with these young artists exploring a psychedelic fantasy world inspired by the film.
The imagery and intent of Yellow Submarine, brilliantly revived by Stella McCartney, is already resonating with artists on the forefront of music of today: Billie Eilish debuted the collection with a custom set at her Glastonbury Festival performance. Awkwafina and Ellie Goulding both recently stepped out in the collection’s Leonora dress, and Post Malone and Diplo have been spotted sporting the collection’s vibrant fur-free fur coat.
Already committed to a love for humanity and the world through her exclusive use of vegetarian and sustainable materials, Stella McCartney continues to take this mission in new and exciting directions. Though it draws its inspiration from artwork of the past, the collection and its campaign feel modern and progressive with its embrace of inclusivity and free love. At first, the lyrics to “Yellow Submarine” seem absurd, but they describe a hopeful vision of the future which is characterized by peace and harmony. McCartney is part of a timeless tradition of artists and designers working to bring this vision into reality.
Stella McCartney Creative Director | Stella McCartney
Talents | Oscar Jerome, Keyah/Blu, Joy Crookes & Femi Koleoso