Stella McCartney advertises for 30 new staff after using Government bailout scheme to furlough hundreds of staff
- Stella McCartney furloughed up to half her 1,400 staff across 51 stores in April
- The designer is advertising roles ranging from administration to knitwear design
- Six of the new jobs are in China and Japan, 22 are in the UK and two are in the US
Stella McCartney has advertised 30 new staff roles at her designer company two months after using the Government’s furlough scheme to pay her workers’ salaries.
The fashion designer who has a personal fortune estimated at more than £60million was criticised after taxpayers’ money offered as part of the Government’s job retention scheme to pay salaries in April.
Of the new jobs on offer, 22 are in the UK, while six are in China and Japan and two are in the US.
The roles include art director, knitwear designer, office and facilities assistant and paralegal.
Stella McCartney (pictured), 48, has advertised 30 new staff roles at her designer company two months after using the Government’s furlough scheme to pay her workers’ salaries
Of the new jobs on offer, 22 are in the UK, including art director, knitwear designer, office and facilities assistant and paralegal, while six are in China and Japan and two are in the US.
Most of the jobs begin in Autumn and the majority of the adverts have closing dates this month.
A head of creative operations is being recruited to oversee the companies project management team.
The advert reads: ‘Working at Stella McCartney is a truly rewarding experience – a luxury fashion company with a strong ethical standpoint we are leaders and innovators in our industry.
‘The Head of Creative Operations role will be integral in managing the operations of Creative Production and will work closely with the Visual Director to drive, project manage and deliver all brand visuals.’
Ms McCartney was criticised after taxpayers’ money offered as part of the Government’s job retention scheme to pay salaries in April. Pictured: Model Gisele Bundchen wearing a Stella McCartney dress
Ms McCartney, 48, came under fire when MailOnline revealed she was using the Government’s job retention scheme to furlough up half her 1,400 staff at 51 stores in April.
Under Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s rescue package, firms can claim up to 80 per cent of wages to a maximum of £2,500.
Unlike Victoria Beckham who backtracked on furloughing 30 staff at her fashion company following criticism, Stella McCartney did not change its decision.
Mrs Beckham also planned on topping up the on furlough’s salaries an extra 20 per cent on top of the 80 per cent paid by the Government scheme, unlike Ms McCartney.
At the time, one employee said staff were ‘extremely hurt’ by the decision taken by McCartney.
‘What she has done is morally wrong and socially unacceptable,’ one of the workers who has been placed on furlough told MailOnline.
‘We had all expected much more from Stella, but she has shown no loyalty. She prides herself on social credentials, but we have just been dumped.’
Stella McCartney stores around the world were forced to close as countries went into lockdown in order to fight the spread of Covid-19.
The Stella McCartney brand has a turnover of more than £500million a year and she is the sole owner of her company having bought out a joint partner two years ago.
A spokesman for Stella McCartney told MailOnline not all staff had been placed on furlough at the time. They refused to comment on salary cuts for staff.