The Spring 2022 Chloé collection was successfully shown to a live crowd on the banks of the Seine, and it was another home run for the brand's newest creative director, Gabriela Hearst. In an interview with the New York Times, Hearst gives her thoughts on this latest collection as well as the demands from the industry.
When asked what has her most excited for the reveal of the 2022 collection, Hearst said, "Probably being able to show our 250 guests — and the wider world — the creativity of the seven not-for-profit organizations we worked with this season. I have always felt motivated to use my platform as a designer to showcase the work of others, and our design studio worked with collectives on everything from garments and footwear to the stage and set. For example, the sliders were made in collaboration with Ocean Sole, which is based in Kenya, as is Mifuko, with whom we made the oversize woven basket bags. The knotted shell necklaces and harnesses were produced in Madagascar by Akanjo. To showcase the creativity of others really empowers me. I want to show off, through a program we are calling Chloé Craft, techniques that cannot be mimicked by machinery and only mastered by human hands."
Hearst was asked if there has been any further demand from clients, to which she said, "I’m not naïve. Very few people who buy luxury are driven purely by good intentions. Product must be absolutely beautiful, too. But in the last two years, it’s become clear that more of my clients do want to know how things are made and sourced. Maybe it’s because of the pandemic, though I think it’s also to do with the fact the effects of climate change are becoming more and more apparent. It’s the No. 1 threat to our existence as a species. People say to me that I come across as quite fearless when talking about this, but I am terrified. I have profound anxiety about where we may end up and the world we may leave for our children. But I am also a pragmatist and determined to keep pushing forward and looking for solutions."
When asked how she manages to keep up with two positions as creative director for Chloé in Paris as well as her own brand in New York, Hearst said, "Well, I take genuine joy and satisfaction from the design process and am supported by amazing teams. Obviously this experience can be hard at times. It takes a physical toll and a lot of sacrifice to make sure you find some kind of balance, especially when it comes to family. But also, I wanted this. Badly. I am grateful for the opportunity. So I can’t complain for even one second because I wanted these things. It’s a dream to be doing what I’m doing."
Information originally sourced from the New York Times.