Stella McCartney to move into menswear

Stella McCartney is to launch her first menswear line, which will be shown alongside her Spring womenswear show in London in November, the New York Times reports.

Rumours have been circulating for some time that McCartney, who spend part of her fashion training on London's Savile Row with tailor Edward Sexton, would make the move into menswear and the designer has just confirmed it.

She will also switch her collections to a "see now, buy now" schedule, so the Spring collection for women that used to be shown in May, will now be shown in November just before it drops in store. Her new men's line will be shown alongside it but it is not expected to be aligned to any particular season.

McCartney told the New York Times that the desire to move into menswear had been with her for a long time. “My time on Savile Row inspired so much of what I do, and it feels like the right moment to talk to men and give them what they deserve,” McCartney said. “I want to deliver to men what I deliver to women.”

McCartney's women's collection always feature strong tailoring and she has dabbled in menswear in the past but only by creating bespoke suits for a few lucky men in her life such as father Paul and husband Alasdhair Willis. The move will be seen as a natural (and perhaps overdue) progression for her brand, which is owned by luxury group Kering.