Regardless of who is at the helm of the fashion house, each Chloé collection manages to make femininity feel androgynous and romanticism feel minimal. It’s a hard balance to strike given the label’s history of soft touches like scalloped hems, eyelet accents, and lush knits, but with structured leathers and a less-is-more approach to accessorizing, Chloé’s aesthetic remains simple, vaguely boyish, and ultimately at ease. It’s that guise of relaxation, the sense that the clothes aren’t too hard to wear, that keeps them cool.

Since presenting her first collection with Chloé in 2021, Gabriela Hearst—who remains Creative Director of her eponymous brand—has led the house to its next frontier: climate consciousness. Hearst’s sustainable approach has made her a household name in the fashion industry; she has received a multitude of awards, including 2020 CFDA Womenswear Designer of the Year, for her pioneering vision. In line with Chloé’s feminine roots, both in design and designer (Chloé’s creative directors have only ever been women), the 2023 Pre-Fall collection explores the intertwined nature of sustainability and gender.

 

 

 

As reported by the United Nations Development Programme, four out of five people displaced by climate change are women. This message, along with aesthetic references from the Renaissance period—namely Baroque painter Artemisia Gentileschi’s work, which questioned misconceptions about the limits of women’s abilities—framed Hearst’s collection.

Inspired by the 17th Century, Hearst modernized styles such as the bishop sleeve by constructing it in Nappa leather. Likewise, she paid homage to Artemisia’s use of color and contrast with a color-blocked leather track suit.

 

Since Hearst’s arrival at the Chloé the label has developed a lower-impact denim wash, which requires up to 80% less water. The denim appears in a patch work coat, as well as alongside a contrasting linen in khaki green natural dye.

 

This collection epitomizes the Chloé woman—equal parts strong and warm. For every feminine silhouette, there’s a structural edge to juxtapose it, making it timeless and contemporary all at once.