A lover of poets and female creatives, Gabriela Hearst, welcomes Eileen Gray as Fall Winter 2023’s intangible muse. Why her? From Hearsts’ encounter with Gray’s (permanent) exhibition at the National Museum of Ireland, she began her exhilarating journey to learn about a woman who was one of the best creators who ever lived. Recognized as the first designer to utilize chrome, before her contemporaries Le Corbusier or Mies van der Rohe, Gray unfolds as a multifaceted artist with knacks as a painter, sculptor, photographer, artist, designer, and self-taught architect —her dragon chair still holds the record for the highest paid the price for 20th-century furniture at auction. Unvalued, like many women of her time, Hearst zeroes in on the essence of Eileen Gray to uphold and applaud her wanderlust spirit for this fall’s collection.

Born in 1878 in Enniscorthy, Ireland, Gray lived 98 years, finally passing away in the fashion capital of Paris, France. Her life spanned the dawn of the industrial revolution, two world wars, and the moon landing—one of humanity’s most significant periods. Everything from her Victorian-era attire as a young woman to her sharp tailor in her Rue Bonaparte apartment expresses unapologetic chic. A trained pilot, architect, furniture designer, and Japanese lacquer worker, Gray’s life echoed notes of passion and curiosity at every corner, prompting the story of a woman who lived an uncompromising life with artistic integrity.

For the seasonal debut, Hearst cast a live performance by Sumbuck Sumbuck and unveiled a delicate sculpture made by Pablo Bofill, “la ciudad en el espacio.” With a carefully chosen song palette, the runway show revealed sonnets from an unreleased record to be finished in early spring. “The City.” The song is about collectivism, recognizing poisons to the spirit; it’s about surrounding yourself with love and lending it to those around you. The collection featured shoe collaborations with the longest-established shoemakers in England, Tricker’s, and various pieces that support the narrative of collectivism shone to us by none other than the unshakeable Eileen Gray.

Watch the full show below: