Idris Elba Fronts Stella McCartney's Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign

Introducing Stella McCartney Cares: the new platform designed to funnel the designer’s philanthropic ventures through one channel. As part of its first Breast Cancer Awareness initiative, the designer will donate 1,000 of the brand's Louise Listening post-operative mastectomy compression bras to women undergoing breast cancer treatment.

The bra, which launched in 2015, was named after McCartney’s mother, Linda Louise, who died from the illness in 1998. The 2018 version has been modified to include soft internal pockets for use with prostheses, wide adjustable straps and an extended range of sizes. A subdivision of the new charity, Stella McCartney Cares Pink, will also be dedicated to building relationships with hospitals, charities and breast cancer support groups, and Sofia Vergara has been enlisted as the face of McCartney’s annual limited-edition breast cancer awareness lingerie set.

“There are so many emotions attached to the tragic realities of having had a double mastectomy,” McCartney shared of the project. “And we just wanted to make something that allows women undergoing this to have something to be proud of, something with no shame attached. We wanted women to know that you can still be feminine, have your sensuality, have all of the things that are attached to being a woman and that part of your body can still feel beautiful on the outside, as well as the inside.”

The designer also hopes to encourage communication around breast cancer, and has enlisted Idris Elba to front a new short film entitled All is Love. The accompanying imagery will be displayed in an exhibition – running until November 9 at McCartney’s Bond Street store – which hopes to offer customers insight and support on the subject.

“Along with many other people, I was unfortunate enough to have lost my father to cancer five years ago,” said Elba. “Removing the taboo around men talking about breast cancer and encouraging other men to talk about it with their wives, mothers, sisters isn’t something we often see or hear about, but it should be. We should be encouraging the women in our lives to go for regular check-ups.”

An “All is Love” 100 per cent cotton bandana has also been created in collaboration with Best Made Co and will be available to purchase from October 15 for £75. Each of these accessories is printed with encouraging messages, serving as reminders for everyone get themselves checked regularly and stay healthy.