Chloé Chooses Sustainability With Hiring of Designer Gabriela Hearst

Earlier this week, it was announced that fashion designer Gabriela Hearst would take Natacha Ramsay-Levi’s place as creative director of Chloé, following Ramsay-Levi’s sudden departure from the Maison.

Hearst will continue working as the creative director of her own eponymous brand alongside her new job. Hearst’s first collection for Chloé will debut in March, for Fall/Winter 2021.

The hiring of Hearst represents a decisive shift towards sustainability for Chloé. Hearst, perhaps most famous for her elusive limited collection handbags, has long shown a commitment to revolutionize the wasteful fashion industry. Her own brand was founded on the twin values of durability and sustainability and has lived up to these with ground-breaking achievements such as hosting the first carbon-neutral show.

On multiple occasions, Hearst reiterated that the restraints posed by sustainability do not hinder her creativity, but rather enhance it. An example is her use of repurposed and recycled materials, leading to unique creations such as outerwear made from antique Turkish rugs. The designer has also consistently shown a predilection for sartorial work carried out by hand, such as hand-knitting by Uruguayan artisans through her long-term partnership with the non-profit Manos del Uruguay.

Hearst does not believe that sustainability ends with a long-lasting, responsibly sourced garment. For her, it is equally important that the commitment to this value encompasses all areas of business. In 2019, she achieved her goal of being plastic-free both at the front and back of house, with biodegradable garment bags and recyclable cardboard hangers. Physical stores, too, are built with the aim of having a minimal impact on the environment. Hearst’s London Mayfair shop boasts furniture made from wood from a tree felled in a storm, as well as floorboards repurposed from an old military building.

It is expected that Hearst will bring her experience and passion for a new, environmentally-friendly fashion world to Chloé, following in the modernizing footsteps of her predecessor.