The Couture Council of The Museum at FIT announced that it will honor Gabriela Hearst, the founder and creative director of her namesake fashion brand Gabriela Hearst and creative director of the French luxury fashion house Chloé, with its 2023 Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion in September.

“It is such an honor for the team and I to receive the 2023 Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion from one of the most prestigious design institutions,” said Hearst. “We take this recognition with the humbleness of dedicating ourselves more to the work. Designing with consciousness of others and our environment not only enriches us with purpose but also focuses our creativity.”

Hearst launched her eponymous label in 2015, drawing inspiration from her childhood on a ranch in Uruguay. She is renowned for her sustainable approach, utilizing deadstock fabrics and minimizing plastic use in her runway shows, with her SS20 collection marking the first-ever carbon-neutral runway show. In December 2020, Hearst assumed the role of creative director at Chloé, transforming the brand into a purpose-driven and socially-engaged company that has achieved remarkable success. Her notable accolades include winning the 2016/17 International Woolmark Prize for Womenswear, being named the 2020 CFDA American Womenswear Designer of the Year, and receiving recognition as one of the five Honorees in the Environment category at the British Fashion Council’s Fashion Awards. Additionally, she was listed among the Financial Times’s 25 most influential women of 2021.

“Gabriela Hearst has positioned herself as an eco-conscious designer who believes creating aspirational sustainable fashion is possible, and she has achieved this with each collection,” said Dr. Joyce F. Brown, president of FIT. “Her vision–that a fashion brand can be successful while meeting social and environmental performance standards—has been validated by the growth of Chloé under her creative leadership. The students at FIT are aspiring designers with a sustainability mindset and she is an inspiration to them. It is our honor to recognize her sustainability work and contribution to the world of fashion.”

Hearst will be awarded on September 6, 2023 at Lincoln Center in New York City heralding the arrival of New York Fashion Week.