Maria McManus Fall 2021 Ready-to-Wear

Is it gentler on the planet to use recycled cashmere spun from existing sweaters and deadstock yarns, or virgin wool sourced from a farm that uses regenerative, carbon-sequestering practices? This is the kind of question Maria McManus asks herself when she’s sourcing materials, long before she’s designed a single garment. They’re questions without clear-cut answers; both of those fibers are virtuous, neither is 100% perfect, and once she’s made her choice, she has to contend with a dozen more, like how to ship the yarn between manufacturers without racking up a carbon footprint that cancels out all the good she’s doing. McManus admits she occasionally gets mired in the complexities, unable to see the forest for the trees. Surely she’s wondered if it’s worth it at all, considering the fashion industry’s still-massive impact and the unwillingness of many to change it. But we need more designers like her: women who believe things can be different and are willing to get into the nitty-gritty of regenerative agriculture, recycled fibers, animal welfare, and supply chain transparency. McManus’s career has been in merchandising, not sustainability research or even design; she’s figured a lot of it out on her own. (Interesting side note: Most of the people leading fashion’s sustainability efforts are women.)