Gabriela Hearst
Founder and creative director of Gabriela Hearst
Gabriela Hearst is a Uruguayan designer who founded her eponymous New York luxury label in 2015 and served as creative director of Chloé from December 2020 to 2023. She is one of the most prominent advocates of sustainability in luxury fashion.
| Role | Founder and creative director of Gabriela Hearst |
|---|---|
| Born | 1976, Paysandú, Uruguay |
| Label launched | 2015 |
| Chloé | Creative director, December 2020 to September 2023 |
| Recognition | TIME Earth Award, 2024 |
Who is Gabriela Hearst?
Gabriela Hearst was born in Paysandú, Uruguay, in 1976 and is the founder and creative director of the luxury label Gabriela Hearst. Her work combines understated, craft focused design with a strong emphasis on reducing environmental impact, and she has become one of the most visible voices on sustainability in high end fashion.
Career
Before launching her own name, Hearst ran the label Candela from 2004 to 2015. She introduced the Gabriela Hearst line in autumn 2015, building it around quality materials, artisanal techniques and a restrained aesthetic. The brand opened its first flagship on Madison Avenue in New York in 2018, followed by stores in Mayfair, London, in 2019 and in Beverly Hills in 2023.
In December 2020 Hearst was appointed creative director of Chloé, becoming the first Latin American designer to hold the position. She led the house until September 2023, while continuing to run her own label.
Sustainability in practice
Sustainability is central to Hearst's brand identity. The company describes its approach as "honest luxury", commits to responsible material sourcing using certified natural fibres, and quotes her view that "sustainability is luxury". She grew up on her family's ranch, Santa Isabel, in Uruguay, an upbringing the brand links to her belief that luxury means things that are beautifully crafted and made to last. For a runway show in 2017 she implemented a no plastic policy and worked with EcoAct to reduce the event's carbon footprint. Her work has been recognised with the environment award at the Fashion Awards in 2020 and a TIME Earth Award in 2024.
- No plastic policy introduced for her 2017 show
- Environment award at the Fashion Awards, 2020
- TIME Earth Award, 2024
Influence on the fashion business
Hearst helped make sustainability a mainstream topic in luxury rather than a niche concern. Her appointment at Chloé showed that a major house was prepared to place a designer with an explicit environmental agenda at the head of its creative direction. Beyond the runway, her recent projects include costumes for the San Francisco Ballet's Carmen in 2024 and uniforms for Uruguay's national football team for the 2026 World Cup.
Why it matters
For fashion businesses facing growing regulatory and consumer pressure on environmental performance, Hearst's work offers a model of how sustainability can be built into brand positioning, materials and events from the outset. Her experience at Chloé also illustrates how founder designers increasingly move between their own labels and roles at major houses.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Gabriela Hearst?
Gabriela Hearst is a Uruguayan designer born in 1976 who founded her eponymous luxury label in 2015. She is known for craft focused design and a strong commitment to sustainability.
When was Gabriela Hearst creative director of Chloé?
She was appointed creative director of Chloé in December 2020 and led the house until September 2023. She was the first Latin American designer to hold the role.