HOW CREATIVE DIRECTOR GABRIELA HEARST IS REFASHIONING ENVIRONMENTAL ELEGANCE AT CHLOÉ

BY RHIANNA JONES

In a world that’s simultaneously at war, on fire, and on edge, it’s safe to say that people are flocking to fantasy for escape, and fashion is a natural pathway for radical joy. At the same time, with its irresponsible supply chains, meteoric trend cycles, and superfluous presentation, the fashion industry has never had the greatest impact on the environment. It’s in this crossroads that Gabriela Hearst reigns supreme, the Uruguayan designer who launched her eponymous brand in 2015, quickly enchanting fashion darlings with her high-end, handcrafted sustainable luxury. Her impeccable tailoring, innovative fabrication, intentionally slower supply chain, and insistence on ethical transparency in the notoriously toxic industry have garnered both accolades and admiration. In the brand’s short tenure, she has introduced anti-radiation lined jacket pockets, aloe-treated linen, and compostable bio-plastic packaging. She refers to this unwavering ethos as “luxury with a conscience,” or in other words, honest luxury. In December 2020, she was tapped to be creative director for Chloé.

If there was ever a French maison that embodied joie de vivre, it’s Chloé, a name synonymous with flowy, free-spirited femininity. The notion of freedom has been ingrained in Chloé’s DNA since its inception 70 years ago, when Egyptian-Jewish émigré Gaby Aghion founded the house, with a mission “for Chloé to have a happy spirit.” Chloé’s effortless elegance has transcended over the years under the artistic visions of Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, and Phoebe Philo, crafting a signature bucolic romanticism of silk separates, diaphanous dresses, and tasseled leather accessories. As Hearst takes the torch, her penchant for organic materials and earth tones lend a Midas touch to elevating Chloé’s girlish glamour for the modern woman.

Her work ethic and eco-ethos are by-products of her upbringing (she was raised on a solar-powered ranch) and frequent travels to developing nations, which made her question the world’s deep-rooted environmental inequalities. This, coupled with her deep admiration for strong women, inspires her vision to spearhead one of the first “low-impact” global businesses of the fashion industry. For her debut collection, Hearst designed a backpack range with deadstock Chloé materials with proceeds supporting Shelter suit Foundation, a Dutch nonprofit staffed by refugees that makes sleep sack parkas for the homeless. She also reissued the iconic Edith bag by repurposing 50 vintage bags bought off eBay. While most corporate altruism is public facing and product based, Hearst’s mission extends beyond the designs, operating the Parisian atelier and boutiques on 100% renewable energy, and committing Chloé to reduce its carbon emissions and water consumption 25% by 2025.

Juggling two luxury brands might seem daunting, but Hearst manages to differentiate the aesthetics seamlessly. While both audiences are inferably cool, con dent, and conscientious of the world around them, both have visibly distinctive styles. The Gabriela Hearst woman is minimalist and takes a cerebral approach to dressing, resonating with chic businesswomen on a mission. The Chloé woman, with her frills and femininity, is inherently romantic, playful, and a reminder that youthfulness has no age. The nouvelle Chloé women might still be frolicking around town in maxi ponchos and patchwork suiting, but she does so with an understanding of her personal fashion and footprint, spreading smiles and sustainability with every step. May Hearst be a model for using one’s in uence to make a lasting impression, as she leads Chloé and the industry at large into a new frontier of fashion, one that’s as socially thoughtful as it is timeless.

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