British fashion designer Stella McCartney shared an amusing childhood memory at the Cannes Lions Festival today (25 June 2026), touching on many of the event’s themes: brands, sustainability, creativity and fandom.<\/p>\n
In conversation with eBay CEO Jamie Iannone about ‘circular commerce’ and the value in buying and selling used goods, Stella remembered once being tempted to sell her famous father’s slice of toast!<\/p>\n
Addressing the packed crowd at the Debussy Theatre, Stella – daughter of Paul McCartney – noted that it was apparently Global Beatles Day (GBD) today. She then recalled once hearing on the news that a piece of John Lennon’s toast, taken from a hotel room by a member of staff in the 1960s, had been sold by an auction house for something like \u00a3100,000!<\/p>\n
“I remember coming down to breakfast that morning, with my dad, and we were like ‘Dad, I think you’ve finished your toast’. We were like clasping at his food,” she laughed.<\/p>\n
Her story was a response to Jamie’s anecdotes about the things that people can find in their house and sell, therefore preventing it from becoming landfill. eBay estimates that on average everyone has at least $2,000 worth of unused goods at home which they could sell. In a bid to help everyone become a seller, the platform is on a mission to make it easier than throwing something in a rubbish bin.<\/p>\n
The session explored how the circular economy is emerging as a powerful cultural force, no longer just a niche thing to do. Gen Z is demanding sustainability, authenticity and personalisation. As Stella said, Gen Z’ers aren’t waiting for fashion editors to tell them what they have to wear, they’re wearing what defines their individual values and often that means buying second-hand, vintage items.<\/p>\n
With Stella McCartney leading the way in circular fashion, eBay also sits at the centre of this shift, where anyone can buy, sell and extend the life of products.<\/p>\n