A childhood in nature, surrounded by animals and starry skies in the remote interior of Uruguay. This is how designer Gabriela Hearst developed her passion for sustainable luxury. With this she has conquered the world by combining natural fibers, craftsmanship and a low environmental impact.
As she approaches her 50th birthday, Hearst is an established name in the highest circles of fashion. She was the first Latin American to lead the French fashion house Chloé (2020-2023). For a decade, her personal brand has been worn by celebrities such as Kate Middleton, Julia Roberts and former US first lady Jill Biden.
Although she settled and made her career primarily in New York, she told AFP that she learned everything she knew about “quality and sustainability” in her native Uruguay. In the cattle-breeding country with only 3.4 million inhabitants, she got to know “the true beauty”.
“When I was a little girl, I wanted to travel and see the world,” she said in an interview during her recent trip to Montevideo. There she presented the uniforms of the Uruguayan delegation for the World Cup.
“After traveling the world, I was able to appreciate what it means to grow up with these starry skies. I became aware of the nature, the farm-to-table food, the quality and the natural luxury that surrounded me.”
Little, but good
“My mother had a very small wardrobe in the country,” she remembers. The clothing was “made by Tota, the family seamstress.” Each new garment was commissioned for “special moments in life: the trousseau, the wedding, the birth of a child.” She adds: “Clothes were inherited.”
Their appeal to prioritize quality over quantity and to buy timeless pieces represents a challenge for today’s era of ‘fast fashion’ and short-lived trends.
Hearst admits that the vast majority cannot afford a wardrobe made from fine materials. Nevertheless, she affirms, everyone can make a contribution by limiting consumption.
“Students came to see me and I asked them, ‘How many of you buy fast fashion?’ There were about 25 and two or three came forward. ‘And how many buy vintage clothes?’ “Everyone got in touch,” she says.
“There is so much clothing in the world, from all over, that you can buy vintage or second-hand clothing, and that’s great.” She adds: “There is always a way to have little but good things.”
Craftsmanship in the age of AI
“The digital revolution and climate change are two forces shaping humanity,” she reflects.
In a world where everything seems to be accelerating, especially since the advent of artificial intelligence, there will be more than ever “an authentic need for handcrafted creations.”
“The human aspect, the part of our brain that makes us unique, the bright spark of humanity, will become increasingly important,” says Hearst. And this humanity is one of the values that she finds again in her home country. Here, a network of cooperatives with hundreds of weavers, Manos del Uruguay, handcrafts garments for Hearst’s brand. They use handlooms or just a pair of knitting needles for this.
What is created in their hands in the Uruguayan countryside appears on catwalks, on the covers of magazines like Vogue or on television. One example is a colorful blanket that caused a stir when it was seen on Sarah Jessica Parker’s legs in the ‘Sex and The City’ sequel.
“It’s incredible that our craftsmanship reaches so far,” 60-year-old Mabel Bargas, one of the organization’s weavers, told AFP.
Along with increased demand, collaborations with Hearst and other international brands have given them more visibility.
It’s a perfect match, as both Manos del Uruguay and Gabriela Hearst have made it their mission to celebrate the knowledge of craftsmanship. This is closely linked to the “slower life in the countryside,” explains Lucía Benítez, designer at Manos del Uruguay.
For Hearst, the social impact of her work is an essential part of the legacy she wants to leave behind.
“We can’t lose the human connection.” She goes on to say, “Those of us who have the privilege of not having to struggle to survive have a responsibility to help others.”
“The best idea is the one that helps many,” she concludes.
This article was created using digital tools translated.
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