Gabriela Hearst Is The New Creative Director of Chloé
The Uruguay-born designer succeeds Natacha Ramsay-Levi as the designer of the French luxury label
Gabriela Hearst (Photo: Allie Holloway)
Chloé has announced Gabriela Hearst as its new creative director. The New York–based designer with her own eponymous brand succeeds Natacha Ramsay-Levi, joining an esteemed cadre of female designers who have helmed the French luxury label, including Stella McCartney, Phoebe Philo, Clare Waight Keller, and founder Gaby Aghion.
“I am grateful for an opportunity at such a beloved brand as Chloé,” Hearst said in a statement. “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.”
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Rumors of Hearst joining the Richmonte-owned brand spurred earlier this year, when she moved her namesake show to Paris Fashion Week for the spring 2021 season. There, she debuted a collection of sharp suits, color-blocked knit dresses, and hand-knit cashmere ponchos. Vivid and sleek, the lineup perfectly reflected the refined bohemianism that has become the calling card for Chloé.
Hearst, who was born in Uruguay and raised on a ranch, has also consistently imbued her designs with equestrian motifs. Could there be a more perfect fit for a house whose most iconic print is a rearing horse? This kismet, along with Hearst’s dedication to promoting environmental responsibility in the fashion industry, put her at the top of the list of contenders.
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Gabriela Hearst spring 2021 collection at Paris Fashion Week. (Photo: Getty Images)
“It is with great pleasure that I welcome Gabriela Hearst at our maison,” said Riccardo Bellini, CEO of Chloé. “I have always admired her vibrant, creative energy and exquisite sense of quality and craft. Her powerful vision of more responsible fashion truly embodies the values and sense of commitment of today’s Chloé women. Gabriela is a forward-thinking woman and her creative leadership will be a positive force in further evolving and expanding our founder’s original vision of meaningful and powerful femininity. Together, we share the conviction that we all have a responsibility to actively participate in the shaping of a sustainable future and look forward to jointly pushing Chloé to new heights.”
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Hearst has won a slew of awards for heralding ethically and ecologically sound practices in the fashion industry since founding her namesake brand in 2015. She took home the 2016/17 International Woolmark Prize in womenswear, the Pratt Institute Visionary Award in 2018, the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s 2020 Womenswear Designer of the Year, and an environment honor at the 2020 British Fashion Awards.
“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,” Hearst said. “I am also humbled to be able to work with the Chloé team to help execute this beautiful vision in creative and accountable ways.”
This article first appeared on Harper’s BAZAAR US.