On 7 December it was announced that Gabriela Hearst would be the new creative director of Chloé, following the departure of Natacha Ramsay-Levi.
The New York-based designer, Gabriela Hearst is set to be the new creative director at the French luxury fashion house, Chloé. Hearst has an eponymous line, which has been seen on the likes of First Ladies, Prime Ministers and celebrities. Known for her focus on craftsmanship and elegance, Hearst seems like a perfect fit for Chloé.
“I am grateful for an opportunity at such a beloved brand as Chloé,” Hearst said in a statement on Instagram. “I am thankful to Natacha Ramsay-Levi and all the other extraordinary designers that have come before her and helped build on the purposeful vision of Gaby Aghion. I am excited for the opportunity to work under the leadership of Riccardo Bellini and support him in his commitment to create a business that is socially conscious and in balance with our environment.”
What Hearst will likely bring to the Maison, is sustainability. The designer has been committed to a more environmentally savvy approach to fashion: using deadstock materials, recycling yarn, choosing less impactful textiles (like linen over cotton). Chloé hasn’t quite made a commitment to ethical fashion since Stella McCartney’s ‘no fur, no leather’ policy during her tenure as creative director from 1997 to 2001.
“I want to be the trash can of fashion,” Hearst declared. “I want to get all the dead stock in the world, the most beautiful materials. It’s my talent that I can make things beautiful and elegant, and in that I have confidence. If I get the most amazing materials but they are from three years ago, and I could logistically change all my production to that stock, that would be a dream for me.”
With this announcement comes excitement over the potential of Hearst’s impact at Chloé. Many anticipate that her feminine, elegant yet pragmatic designs will be reminiscent of the famed Phoebe Philo Céline era (but with a touch of bohéme). Philo herself was a creative director at Chloé from 2001 to 2006.
With Hearst’s first show at Chloé scheduled for March 2021, time will tell whether her creative direction will meet these expectations.
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