Image courtesy of wsj.com
Gabriela Hearst has a new job. Five years after launching her eponymous brand, Gabriela Hearst has been named creative director of Chloé. This appointment makes the first time a non-European has helmed the iconic French brand. Natacha Ramsey-Levi left the creative directorship of Chloé in November.
In searching a replacement for Ramsey-Levi, Chloé CEO Riccardo Bellini confirmed that the brand was looking for a creative director that would nudge Chloe solidly on a path to being eco-friendlier and more sustainable. Gabriela Hearst set a standard her namesake brand for creating collections that were eco-friendly and measured up to standards of sustainability.
“What a brand stands for, its beliefs and values, will become as relevant as products and aesthetics,” Bellini explained in a wwd.com article. For many brands sustainability has become a talking point, but Hearst’s appointment cements Chloé as one of the most environmentally minded luxury goods companies in the world.
Image courtesy of marieclaire.com
Hearst’s debut runway show in 2017 was designed to have as little of a global footprint as possible. And since that time Gabriela Hearst has used eco-friendly materials like recycled yarn, linen and deadstock materials.
“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. 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.”
If you are wondering if Gabriela Hearst’s eponymous line will continue, the answer is yes!! Hearst will split her time between New York and Paris. Her first collection for Chloé will debut in March 2021.
—William S. Gooch
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