The renowned Uruguayan designer, Gabriela Hearst, recently announced her departure from her role as Creative director of Chloé, a decision that concludes her successful three-year stint with the French fashion house. Under Hearst’s visionary guidance, Chloé emerged as a pioneering luxury brand that ardently championed sustainable efforts, and experienced a significant growth in financial performance.
There had been speculation since last December that Hearst might leave, possibly being succeeded by former Chloé designer Clare Waight Keller.
Hearst’s tenure was marked by remarkable successes and pioneering changes at Chloé. Most notably, the French fashion house became the first luxury label to achieve B Corp Certification in October 2021. This esteemed accolade is bestowed only upon companies that demonstrate exceptional commitment towards creating positive social and environmental impact.
A strong advocate for timeless minimalism and the French roots of Chloé, Hearst introduced an air of effortless elegance to her collections while maintaining relevance for the modern woman.
Informants indicated that Hearst‘s departure was on good terms, and she was warmly wished success as she diverts her attention towards her self-named label and other creative pursuits. Her last collection with Chloé is set to unveil at the upcoming Paris Fashion Week for the Spring/Summer 2024 season.
Hearst began her journey at Chloé in December 2020. Given her remarkable environmental commitment and her longstanding admiration for the Chloé brand, she was perceived as the perfect choice for the Richemont-owned house. This decision followed the appointment of Riccardo Bellini as Chloé’s CEO in 2019, which also marked a shift towards a purpose-driven business model for the brand.
During her tenure, Hearst took Chloé’s fashion game to new heights, introducing eco-friendly elements like the low-impact Nama sneaker and integrating a variety of recycled and upcycled fabrics into her ready-to-wear collections.
Hearst first staged the runway show for her own brand in New York in February 2017, placing a strong emphasis on sustainability. Her brand’s influence was so profound that she was awarded the 2020 CFDA American Women’s Designer Award. Moreover, under Hearst’s leadership, Chloé reported strong sales.
However, it was understood that managing two flourishing fashion businesses, based respectively in Paris and New York, posed considerable challenges.
The succession plan at Chloé remains undisclosed at this time, with the brand’s key personnel unavailable for comment.
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