Scene setting: Building upon her sustainable efforts from last season, which saw her stage the first-ever carbon neutral fashion show, Gabriela Hearst continued her campaign for change by experimenting with ways to incorporate waste while still staying true to her label’s exacting luxury standards. This season, Hearst brought in bales of shredded recycled paper from a facility in Brooklyn to serve as the backdrop to her collection. Used as decoration for the runway show as well as tables on which Hearst served elegant culinary fare, the fluttering bales set a meaningful tone and tactility for the collection to follow.
Mood board: For A/W 2020, Hearst has assembled an effortless and versatile wardrobe comprised of fitted cashmere corduroy suits, suede trenchcoats, multicoloured space dye cashmere knits and hand crocheted dresses. Because the collection is rooted in an ecological vein, a large amount of the cashmere used is derived from recycled yarns. Some of the more decorative aspects include reappropriated remnants of antique Turkish rugs, which have been pieced together to form coats, as well as hand drawn mandala designs that have then been handpainted onto garments to convey both an artistic and energy-saving point of view. Mindfully made yet still displaying the same level of polish and quiet panache that the label is known for, this is sustainable fashion at its very best.
Best in show: Hearst’s line of leather handbags are hard to beat but it was her commitment to creating a sustainable future that really deserves to be called out. From working with Mano de Uruguay, a non profit cooperative of female artisans, to do most of the hand knitting, to retrofitting existing pieces of cashmere outerwear to form new pieces and using Milano stitch silk yarns instead of elastane for stretch, Hearst’s efforts were palpable on multiple scales — something we could all aspire to. §
