Gabriela Hearst’s story is stitched together by threads of family, heritage, and a commitment to craftsmanship that extends far beyond fashion. Born in Uruguay, Hearst grew up on a sprawling 17,000-acre ranch, where she learned that luxury is about longevity, care, and purpose. Those values are now woven into every garment of her eponymous label, launched in 2015. From day one, Hearst’s mission was clear: to create clothing that feels honest, crafted not just for the season but for a lifetime, with a focus on sustainability that’s as genuine as it is rare in the fashion world.
By 2017, Hearst had established herself as a voice for conscious luxury, delivering collections that were as thoughtful as they were sophisticated. She made her New York Fashion Week debut with a show that championed deadstock fabrics and eliminated plastics—a first glimpse into her ongoing pursuit of minimizing fashion’s footprint. Over the years, Hearst’s work has continued to redefine what luxury can look like when it’s approached with integrity. Her carbon-neutral runway shows, from Spring Summer 2020 onwards, reflect a growing ambition to show that sustainability and high fashion aren’t mutually exclusive.
In 2020, Hearst took the reins at Chloé, becoming the first female Latin American designer to lead a Paris fashion house. During her tenure, which ended in 2023, she led Chloé towards becoming B Corp certified—a notable achievement for any luxury label—and used her platform to highlight issues such as climate change, even dedicating an entire collection to fusion energy. Hearst’s work at Chloé was marked by her ability to marry activism with aesthetics, all while staying true to the essence of the storied French house.
Today, Hearst’s brand continues to expand with a new flagship store on the West Coast and collaborations that reflect her ethos of thoughtful, long-lasting design. Her influence reaches beyond runways and retail; she’s been a vocal advocate for social and environmental causes, recently designing costumes for the world premiere of “Carmen” at San Francisco Ballet and being honored with TIME’s 2024 Earth Award for her work in climate justice. In every venture, Gabriela Hearst proves that style, substance, and sustainability can go hand in hand—and that true luxury is about making something beautiful that also makes a difference.
