According to the French fashion house, there is not yet a succession plan
Gabriela Hearst is leaving her role as creative director of Chloé after a three-year stint with the French luxury brand.
According to Women’s Wear Daily, the departure is an “amicable” one, and the decision came from the Uruguayan designer’s desire to focus on, among other projects, her eponymous label.
Hearst’s final collection for the house will be for the spring/summer 2024 show slated for Paris Fashion Week in September this year.
This follows the June 5 announcement of the Chloé x Atelier Jolie collaboration on the brand’s Instagram account.
“Maison Chloé becomes the creative collective Atelier Jolie’s inaugural collaborator with a forthcoming ready-to-wear capsule collection celebrating modern femininity,” the post reads, and adds that the capsule collection is co-designed by Hearst and actress Angelina Jolie.
Read more: Everything you need to know about Angelina Jolie’s fashion brand Atelier Jolie
“It has been a privilege to design with Gabriela Hearst, and I hope all women will feel comfortable and beautiful,” the same post quotes Jolie as saying.
Hearst’s work for Chloé is known for its powerful, feminine aesthetic. For example, the autumn/winter 2023 collection that was inspired by female Renaissance painter Artemisia Gentileschi. Hearst also frequently referenced her mother’s influence in making sustainably-minded design choices.
In fact, Hearst was instrumental in helping Chloé achieve certified B Corp status in 2021 by pushing for greater sustainability practices during her time there. Her efforts yielded results such as traceability and mindful fabric selection.
Also according to Women’s Wear Daily, it had become challenging for Hearst to balance two massively successful fashion businesses based in opposite ends of the world: Chloé in France and her own brand in New York, USA.
There are thus far no announcements of a succession plan to follow Hearst’s departure.