Story of the Month
Mushrooms
à la Mode

Seana Gavin collages, ‘Mindful Mushroom’ & ‘Model Mushroom’ shown in ‘Mushrooms: The Art, Design and Future of Fungi‘ at Somerset House, London, July – September, 2020. Images courtesy of the artist.
Mycelium, the vegetative part of the fungus, consisting of a mass of branching, thread-like hyphae, has been forming on the headlines this month as an emerging bio-based material!

Mycelium, the thread-like vegetative part of a fungus (image courses GETTY Images)

Reishi Fine Mycelium, a premium, biofabricated leather solution by Myco Works. (photos courtesy Myco Works)
“MycoWorks’ vision and values echo those of Hermès: a strong fascination with natural raw material and its transformation, a quest for excellence, with the aim of ensuring that objects are put to their best use and that their longevity is maximized. With Sylvania, Hermès is at the heart of what it has always been: innovation in the making.” Pierre-Alexis Dumas, Hermès Artistic Director
A week later, on March 17th, sustainable pioneer Stella McCartney, renowned for her refusal to use leather and animal-derived products in her designs, announced her own mycelium-based range, using Mylo.

Stella McCartney x Mylo™️ garments (photos courtesy Stella McCartney)
“These rare, exclusive Mylo™️ pieces embody our shared commitment with Bolt Threads to innovate a kinder fashion industry – one that sees the birth of beautiful, luxurious materials as opposed to the deaths of our fellow creatures and planet.” Stella McCartney

Mylo un-leather (photos courtesy Mylo)