Gabriela Hearst to exit Chloé

Gabriela Hearst is reportedly set to present her final collection for Chloé during the Spring/Summer 2024 season at Paris Fashion Week. The Uruguay-born, New York-based designer, is set to exit the French fashion house, according to WWD.

While an official statement is yet to be released by both Hearst and Chloé’s parent company, Richemont, it is expected that Hearst’s departure will allow her to fully concentrate on her own eponymous label.

This news coincides with Chloé’s announcement of a partnership with Atelier Jolie, a circular fashion brand launched by Angelina Jolie. Hearst has designed a women’s capsule collection for Atelier Jolie, incorporating the use of deadstock materials. The departure from Chloé aligns with the typical duration of designer contracts, which commonly span around three years. Hearst’s exit, however, occurs at a time when her sustainability-focused approach has propelled Chloé to the forefront of sustainable luxury brands.

During Hearst’s tenure, Chloé achieved the distinction of being the first luxury house to receive B Corp certification. She also introduced the Social Performance & Leverage tool, an open-source platform enabling brands to evaluate supplier performance in areas such as gender equality and fair wages, as reported by Vogue. Chloé’s commitment to embracing a circular business model was further demonstrated through the launch of Chloé Vertical, a resale program incorporating digital IDs.

While Richemont does not disclose specific sales figures for Chloé, the brand experienced a significant 13 percent increase in revenue within the division during the fourth quarter compared to the previous year, according to the luxury conglomerate.

The fashion industry’s ever-evolving landscape of creative director appointments also includes other designers, such as Matthew Williams at Givenchy, whose three-year tenures are coming to an end this month.