At Paris Fashion Week, Gabriela Hearst walked the runway wearing an ACLU hat, a pointed symbol in a season where politics and sustainability took a backseat to escapism. Her Fall/Winter 2025 collection fused gritty activism with polished sophistication, channeling prehistoric goddess worship through sleek leathers, reptilian motifs and reworked vintage furs.
While other designers opted for abstraction, Hearst worked directly with ACLU representatives, who handed out ICE interaction guides outside her Palais du Tokyo show. This tactile approach to advocacy extended to her materials: python skins ethically sourced from invasive snakes in Florida via Inversa, recycled denim dyed in sun-baked sienna and cobalt hues, and regenerated cashmere pinstripe suiting. A white deerskin moto coat featured a detachable shearling skirt, its raw edges reflecting the collection’s unapologetic spirit.
Inspired by archaeologist Marija Gimbutas’ studies of matriarchal societies, Hearst embroidered 30,000-year-old cave symbols onto garments – snaking leather cords on a minimalist dress evoked ancient vulva carvings, while spray-painted swirls on shearling referenced renewal rituals. Snake motifs appeared in four ways: jacquard scale popovers, python pencil skirts, and an eye-catching shearling coat screen-printed with a serpentine deity.
Hearst’s quiet revolution against waste included upcycled herringbone mink coats pieced together from vintage finds and refurbished Italian exotic skin bags with new straps. The opening look-a silk coat that mimicked shearling-challenged perceptions of luxury materials. Accessories also pushed boundaries: Ohio sneakers had rainbow-speckled recycled soles, while the new Marija tote paid homage to Gimbutas’ feminist anthropology.
Plongé leather jackets with jagged hems and perforated separates added edge to tailored silhouettes. Fisherman sweaters woven with shearling strips balanced rugged texture with cozy appeal, and ribbed knits featured subtle bust detailing that nodded to organic forms without being literal. Hearst described the line as “raw and sophisticated,” a tension evident in slinky bustier dresses paired with pragmatic cowboy boots.
©Photo: Gabriela Hearst