Gabriela Hearst A/W 2019 New York Fashion Week Women's

Mood Board: Gabriela Hearst was inspired by the life and tenacity of ballet dancer Maya Plisetskaya after reading the dancer's autobiography. A tale of survival and talent, where beauty and endurance were intertwined, snippets of Plisetskaya's life in the Soviet Union and at the Bolshoi Ballet, became the basis for Hearst's collection which included utilitarian full-length coats, tiered cashmere gauze skirts, form-skimming knitted gowns and recycled cashmere robes.

Finishing Touches: While the collection's palette was fairly restrained and confined to military tones of olive, black and camel, Hearst's inimitable line of handbags dealt just the right amount of fantasy with their unique forms and exquisite detailing. From signatures like the accordion-esque Diana bag, which displayed a new colour-blocked combination, to the new Mercedes clutch bag that pairs a belt-buckle closure with a concertina and the Joplin – a metal phone cage with a leather strap, these sensational specimens easily took one's breath away.

Best in show: Sustainability is a hot topic, but it's been essential to Hearst's take on luxury since she founded her label. Here she showed that being eco-conscious at the upper echelons of luxury didn't have to come at a sacrifice. From the use of recycled cashmere in certain knitted pieces to USA-farmed alligator skins for leather pencil skirts, and even upcycling excess fabrics like fine wool, cashmere and silk to make the cushions that showgoers sat on, Hearst quietly showed that you don't have to up-end the applecart to do the right thing.

New York Fashion Week Women&rsquo;s — Gabriela Hearst A/W 2019.

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Pei-Ru Keh is a former US Editor at Wallpaper*. Born and raised in Singapore, she has been a New Yorker since 2013. Pei-Ru held various titles at Wallpaper* between 2007 and 2023. She reports on design, tech, art, architecture, fashion, beauty and lifestyle happenings in the United States, both in print and digitally. Pei-Ru took a key role in championing diversity and representation within Wallpaper's content pillars, actively seeking out stories that reflect a wide range of perspectives. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two children, and is currently learning how to drive.