Stella McCartney

Stella McCartney participated in a family tradition this week when she joined the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. In fact, Stella, who became an "officer" of the Order, one-upped her dad, Paul McCartney, who is only a "member." The order of chivalry was created in 1917 by King George V to recognize both military members and civilians who have served Britain, and today it is awarded by the queen on the advice of the government. Stella, who designed Team GB's uniforms for the London Olympics, was recognized for service in the fashion industry, and in 2003, David Beckham was recognized for his service to football.

Stella won't be called Dame Stella, however, as the honorifics "Sir" and "Dame" are reserved for the higher ranks of the order, whose members have included Dame Elizabeth Taylor and Dame Helen Mirren. But don't be confused: Sir Elton John, Sir Mick Jagger, and Sir Paul McCartney, all members of the Order, do not hold a high rank. Instead, they got their "Sir" titles when they later became a "Knight Bachelor," which is not part of the Order. Not everyone considers joining the Order of the British Empire an honor, though. David Bowie declined the award, saying, "It's not what I spent my life working for," and author C.S. Lewis also passed.

Now that you're more familiar with this British tradition, check out famous faces who have been initiated now.

Stella McCartney may have made headlines for being made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire today, but she's not the first person in fashion who's made it onto Queen Elizabeth's annual New Year Honors List.

In fact, there's a rather large handful of designers, educators, and other people in the industry who've made the list. From Alexander McQueen's Sarah Burton to Fashion East's Lulu Kennedy, take a look at all the most honorable people in fashion here in the gallery.

— Additional reporting by Robert Khederian

Anne Hathaway is a huge fan of Stella McCartney bags. In fact, she's been spotted with four different styles. Take into consideration that both the actress and McCartney's bags are vegan, and this fashion union totally makes sense. But what makes it fun is to see how Hathaway styles her beloved bag stash with everything from mixed prints to one fresh all-white ensemble. Now if that's not a major (bag) crush, we don't know what is. Step inside to get a closer look at Hathaway's Stella McCartney bag collection and shop exact pieces for yourself.

Paris Fashion Week kicked off last week, and stars, models, and musicians have been flocking to the French runways ever since. Elizabeth Olsen and Naomi Watts teamed up at the Louis Vuitton show earlier today and watched as Kate Moss made her return to the runway. Renée Zellweger, Rebecca Hall, and Zoe Saldana chatted during Miu Miu, sitting front row with January Jones, while Jessica Alba posed solo in a bright blue look on Tuesday. Take a look at all the celebrities at Paris Fashion Week as the fashion fun wraps up today.

Never mind that Bono, Paul McCartney, Kanye West, and Jessica Alba were sitting front row. And never mind that the setting was Paris's gorgeously gilded Opéra Garnier. The clothes on Stella McCartney's Fall 2013 runway were plenty spectacular on their own.

But don't go thinking that means glitter and glitz. Nope, this was pure McCartney, and that means clean, functional, comfortable, and very, very chic. The designer drew inspiration from her past on Saville Row, melding that world's pinstriped wool and large-scale plaids with oversize cuts and asymmetrical shapes, striking the perfect balance between masculine and feminine. "It was a redirection of Stella classics," the designer explained. "[They are] things I do instinctively and effortlessly, so paying homage to Britain and its classic tailoring and inserting a new femininity, bringing a sensual woman into it all."

Stella McCartney sent her models down the Fall 2013 runway in Paris clad in sporty-cool ensembles with similarly stylish yet low-key beauty looks. Decked out in casually tossed-back ponytails and barely-there makeup, this minimalistic style is the kind you can wear to an array of occasions. It's polished but not fussy, and laid-back but not sloppy.

The look: Low-slung ponytails and just a touch of makeup: a dab of color on the cheeks and lips, along with a few swipes of mascara.
Who would wear it: Anyone and everyone.
Trends: Throughout Fashion Month, we've seen ponytails of all sorts and minimal makeup, and Stella's Fall 2013 hits both marks.