Gabriela Hearst named creative director of Chloé

Chloé has already found its new creative director in Gabriela Hearst, the designer known for her ability to create an “It bag” (raise your hand if you are on the waiting list for the Nina bag), as well as creating eco-conscious collections. Hearst launched her namesake collection in 2015, and has seen a meteoric rise to stardom. This year, she was awarded the CFDA Award for Womenswear Designer of the Year.

Gabriela Hearst to succeed Natacha Ramsay-Levi as creative director of Chloé

Hearst succeeds Natacha Ramsay-Levi, whose exit was announced last week after four years as Chloé’s creative director. Hearst is the latest in a series of influential women to lead Chloé, before Natacha Ramsay-Levi was creative director fo the brand, Clare Waight Keller, who was previously creative director of Givenchy, was the creative director of the brand.

Hearst is expected to bring her sustainability practices to Chloé as consumers increasingly are looking for more sustainable designs and are conscious about the ecological footprint their shopping habits could leave. She is originally from Uruguay, and spent a decade running contemporary label Candela before she went out on her own and started her eponymous label.

Hearst is a proponent of what has become known as slow-luxury. Her collections are made from deadstock and recycled materials, and she also sells her highly coveted handbags direct-to-consumer.

Hearst’s main investor is publishing heir Austin Hearst, whose name is renowned in the fashion industry as the publishers of top fashion magazines including Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, and Marie Claire. Gabriela also received a 1 million investment from LVMH Luxury Ventures which took a minority stake in her business.

In her new creative director position at Chloé, Gabriela will have the task of helping Chloé compete in a market that has been dominated by luxury streetwear. With her penchant for creating top selling accessories, Chloé could see some impressive growth under Gabriela’s creative directorship.

“I am grateful for an opportunity at such a beloved brand as Chloé,” Gabriela 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. I am also humbled to be able to work with the Chloé team to help execute this beautiful vision in creative and accountable ways.”

Crédit: JAMIE MCCARTHY / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP