FASHION

Bel Powley, Animal Lover, Gets Political With Her Fashion

The ‘Diary of a Teenage Girl’ star is embracing Stella McCartney’s ethical designs.


“Go see!” actress Bel Powley gushed about the new documentary, Sonita, which screened in London Monday evening as part of the Kering Foundation’s White Ribbon for Women week, an annual program that highlights gender inequality and raises awareness about violence against women around the world. The film follows the titular Sonita, an Afghan refugee intent on pursuing rap even as her family attempts to sell her into marriage — “an unbelievably eye opening, beautiful and unconventional piece of documentary film making,” Powley wrote on Instagram early Tuesday. Before she took to social media to sing the film’s praises, Powley, as well as hosts Salma Hayek-Pinault, François-Henri Pinault of the Kering Group, and designer Stella McCartney, caught the film at the Kering-hosted London screening, where the British actress was fittingly clad head-to-toe in McCartney’s ethically produced designs.

Bel Powley in Stella McCartney at a VIP screening of the documentary *Sonita* hosted by François-Henri Pinault, Salma Hayek-Pinault, and Stella McCartney during the Kering Foundation’s White Ribbon for Women campaign in London, England, November 2016.

Dave Benett/Getty Images for Kering

Who: Bel Powley.

When: Monday, November 21.

Where: A screening of the documentary Sonita during the Kering Foundation’s White Ribbon for Women week in London, England.

What: A dog-print crepe de chine shirtdress, embroidered and studded denim jacket, blush pink shoulder bag with a chain strap, and metallic platform brogues, all by Stella McCartney.

Why: As an avid fan of Alessandro Michele’s Gucci, actress Powley frequently opts for bold prints and decadent embellishments. That predilection, it seems, also extends to other designers — here, she wears an ensemble comprising patterns, embroidery, embellishments, and plenty of metallics, all courtesy of Stella McCartney. The PETA-approved designer might shy away from animal testing and tend towards vegan materials, but she also demonstrates her love of animals more explicitly in her designs. Sweaters with fish emblazoned across the front, dresses adorned with images of dogs of all descriptions — McCartney is a designer for the animal-lover and the politically minded consumer, which makes her designs an excellent choice for Powley during Kering’s week highlighting a different sort of political issue. Plus, it’s cute, casual, and easy — a whole menagerie in one dress — the perfect ensemble for a weekday film screening.

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