In perfect synchrony with the start of Women’s History Month, Chloé unveiled its Fall/Winter 2023 collection this morning, inspired in part by the works of Artemisia Gentileschi, one of the most prominent female painters in history. The Italian Baroque painter’s art carries feminist undertones, which served as inspiration for Creative Director Gabriela Hearst’s exploration of femininity this season. Here, she plays with what it means to be a woman in 2023, reflected in the mismatch of dresses and suits — the duality between what was once typically deemed feminine and what was not. 

Chloé sets the tone of the show in the opening look: an ode to outerwear. Here, a gorgeous black and cream lined coat frames a model, dark gloves mold her hands. An all-black variation of the trenchcoat soon follows, as do luxurious faux fur coats and lengthy leather pieces; the portrait of class, yet comfort. While the collection sticks to a relatively muted palette of black, white, cream and the occasional brown, key pieces stick out for their vibrancy.

At first, these few pieces vye for your attention, but quickly, this vying turns into demanding, as a structured, multicolored dress with quilt-like patchwork commands the runway — You can’t look away. 

The collection itself follows a rhythm, even when designs seem to come out of left field, a tempo is there. Each piece falls into momentum with one another. A yellow, black and cream suit with thick stripes, reminiscent of salt-water taffy, pairs with liquid-leather pants that graze the floor. A simple, but dare I say, perfect black turtleneck melts into white skirt, the fabric cascading behind. A geometric dress with symmetrical cuts of shiny brown, white and black leather harmonizes with black tights and buckled brown sandals. 

A range of eco-friendly fabrics were used throughout the show, in keeping with Hearst’s outspoken devotion to sustainable fashion, with Chloé continuing to sit at the convergence point between conscientious sustainability and everlasting luxury.