The Grape-Based Leather Alternative Bringing Fashion & Wine Even Closer Together

Aside from the obvious use, grape growers have found a plethora of products that can be made-from-grapes as a by-product of the winemaking process. This is a masterclass in sustainability and regenerative actions within an industry that has been working for years to lower carbon footprint and tackle industry-wide waste. You'll often see grape-based products manifest in the skin care and beauty industry, and I'm excited to share with you a new fashion application that will excite both the fashionista and wine lover inside of you.

Stella McCartney and Veuve Clicquot recently announced a pioneering grape-based alternative to animal leather–embodying both LVMH Maisons’ shared values and long-term commitments to sustainability, circularity and regenerative practices. The next-gen material is made from the by-products of Veuve Clicquot’s grape harvest and has been used to handcraft six Stella McCartney accessories, including a luxury bottle holder for Veuve Clicquot’s iconic Yellow Label.

Both Maisons were founded by pioneering women who disrupted and drive change within their respective fields, with legacies rooted in craftsmanship, passion, and innovations that created new, better possibilities. Stella McCartney is widely regarded as fashion’s conscience, inspiring others within the industry and beyond to pursue cruelty-free and sustainable alternatives, having never used leather or fur, whilst Madame Clicquot contributed to the shape of the modern champagne bottle and invented the riddling table, which is still in use today. Her innovations revolutionized the champagne industry. Which additionally included the creation of vintage champagne and blended rosé champagne, and she has been recognized by her peers as “La Grande Dame de la Champagne”.

“ I am so thrilled to be part of this first-of-its-kind partnership between a fashion house and a Champagne Maison–connected by our shared passions for sustainability, craftsmanship, and innovation. The new bottle holder is the perfect blend of my cruelty-free vision with Veue Clicquot's incredible natural ingredients, using waste to circularly create a luxurious alternative to animal leather that can easily be scaled and change the industry. ou cannot tell the difference; this is a better way .” –Stella McCartney, Creative Director of Stella McCartney

Click here to view the Stella McCartney x Veuve Clicquot products available for sale

Veuve Clicquot has been exploring next-generation materials for over a decade, leading with unique gift boxes made from vegetal waste since 2010. Today, all the brand's gift boxes are made from hemp, a soil-regenerative and CO2-fixing plant. The new material harnesses a by-product of manually collected grape stems, sourced with full traceability from the environmentally certified Grand Cru vineyard of Boozy in Champagne, which Madame Clicquot herself purchased 200 years ago.

The grapes are grown using regenerative practices that help restore local biodiversity and soil healthy, and sequester carbon. Each harvest is handpicked to ensure the highest quality of the material. Stella McCartney has always pioneered regenerative agriculture in fashion, having supported SOKTAS regenerative cotton project in Turkey since 2019, in partnership with LVMH.

Stella McCartney uses the Veuve Clicquot grape-based alternative to craft a collection of chic, sustainable fashion accessories: a bottle holder housing a bottle of Veuve Clicquot’s iconic Yellow Label, three Frayme bags, and two Elyse sandal designs featuring a platform wedge made from recycled cork collected from Veuve Clicquot as a mix of pre- and post-consumer waste from its cellars in Reims.

Click here to view the Stella McCartney x Veuve Clicquot products available for sale