Stella McCartney: 'women are expected to do everything'

Stella McCartney, the designer and mother-of-four, said women who juggle jobs and motherhood "are expected to do everything, which probably isn't human"

Women are "in danger of burning out" if they try to be perfect mothers and career women, according to the designer Stella McCartney.

The 41-year-old has risen to the top of her profession while raising four children with her husband, Alasdhair Willis.

McCartney said she had tried to explain women's rights to her five-year-old daughter, Bailey, and admitted that juggling work and family life was a difficult task.

"Honestly, it's not easy and it's silly to pretend that it is," she told Harper's Bazaar magazine.

"She [Bailey] really didn't understand women had to throw themselves under horses to get the vote, and I hope she doesn't ever have to understand it.

"But, at the same time, now we are expected to do everything, which probably isn't human, and we are in danger of burning out if we try to do everything."

She added: "It could flip for the next generation and slip, so I think it is important to take note of what one can and cannot do.

"I lose it sometimes. If I've had four hours' sleep because I was at something late and up early with the kids, then I am not a particularly good mum and not a particularly good colleague at work."

The daughter of Sir Paul McCartney designed the kit for Team GB at the London 2012 Games, and said she had found it one of her toughest challenges.

"I did get very involved, mentally as well as physically, and got emotionally drained. So much work went into it, more than I can imagine now," she said.

McCartney, named Designer of the Year at last night's Harper's Bazaar awards, studied at Central St Martin's and famously enlisted Naomi Campbell, Yasmin Le Bon and Kate Moss for her graduate fashion show.

Maison Martin Margiela for H&M

H&M have announced that British photographer and film director Sam Taylor-Wood has shot the print and film campaigns for their highly-anticipated collaboration with Maison Martin Margiela.

A behind-the-scenes look at the Maison Martin Margiela for H&M campaign, shot by Sam Taylor-Wood.

There's even more reason to get excited about Maison Martin Margiela's upcoming collaboration with H&M as it has been announced that photographer and director Sam Taylor-Wood has shot the accompanying print and film campaigns.

Taylor-Wood photographed the as-yet-unseen campaign on the streets of Paris in collaboration with creative director Markus Kiersztan. The store has released one behind-the-scenes image, which shows Taylor-Wood photographing a model in an oversized jacket, stood inbetween two covered cars in front of a grand Paris building.

"Working with such an anarchic house as Martin Margiela alongside a high-street brand was a challenge that creatively became a crazy, fun project," the artist told WWD . "I wanted to create an atmosphere that was both quiet and still. That each person was in their own emotional and physical thought space. A world away from the heady atmosphere of the usual urban noise."

Taylor-Wood has close ties to the fashion world - she's friends with Kate Moss and Stella McCartney, has previously shot a campaign for Bottega Veneta and appeared in Louis Vuitton's 'Double Exposure' campaign. She recently married actor AaronTaylor-Johnson, who she met when she directed him in her debut film Nowhere Boy in 2008.

Stella McCartney launches Little Miss Stella childrenswear

Stella McCartney designs a capsule childrenswear featuring 'Little Miss Stella', the Little Miss character inspired by her.

Arlo T-shirt, £30, from Stella McCartney's Little Miss Stella line launching in August

A couple of years ago, Stella McCartney collaborated with the people behind the Mr Men and Little Miss series to design a new character. The result was the dead adorable Little Miss Stella (inspired by McCartney, naturally), who appeared on the invitations - a proper Little Miss book - to her spring/summer 2007 catwalk show. 

Little Miss Stella - isn't she cute?

In terms of literary greatness, perhaps the story - Little Miss Stella meets Little Miss Nobody, otherwise known as Billy No Mates because she's wearing last season's shoes or something, designs an amazing suit for her and turns her into a somebody - doesn't quite rival War and Peace 's, but, then again, War and Peace doesn't have a character whose skin tone is a fetching shade of blue. You win some, you lose some.

Felt tips from the Little Miss Stella line

Little Miss Stella is the inspiration for McCartney's new seven-piece Kids' capsule collection, and appears on everything from babygros, jumpers and T-shirts, to bags and felt-tips. 

FG10's favorite Stella McCartney Resort 2013

Paris Spring/Summer 2012 Fashion Week- Stella McCartney

Looking at Stella McCartney spring/summer 2012 collection feels like you need to roll with the cool girls just to wear the outfits. McCartney always bring sexy chic on the runway, its fresh modern and elegant. The colourful laced dolly dresses, the wide length pants, the fun jumpsuits its all there, she even mixed colour blocking combined with patterns. FAB!

images sourced from style