In the Bag
You probably know Gabriela Hearst as the designer behind the fortune cookie-shaped It bag on the arms of the biggest stars, but did you know the issue of sustainability is as close to her heart as her bags? She talks about her background, bucket lists and
Uruguayan-born designer Gabriela Hearst talks sustainability, background and bucket lists
I was born in Uruguay and grew up on a ranch, which informed my values, such as using quality materials that endure, and instilled the idea of utilitarianism. Quality was a necessary characteristic, while opulence was not. Things needed to last. If I weren’t a designer, I would have been a rancher.
Sustainability is a core value of the brand. We believe that new is not always better, so we have gone to the best mills in the world and asked them to use leftover fabrics to repurpose them in our collection for limited-edition pieces.
A very successful screenwriter told me that all hits are
born from a certain innocence. This was exactly the case with the Nina bag. I designed it with joy and leisure because a friend of mine told me that I needed a bag to complete my look. It was my dream bag. It’s named after Nina Simone, the singer.
I admire Elsa Schiaparelli, Miuccia Prada and Vivienne
Westwood because they are all females who led their own houses with their name on the door and successfully evolved over time. Elsa Schiaparelli collaborated with some of the most extraordinary artists of her time in her collections, and she also had her first collection produced by Armenian refugees. Ms Prada is a symbol of how a vision can evolve within the same creative director, and Vivienne Westwood is never afraid to use her platform to express her world view.
I would be open to collaborating with anyone who wants to share efforts in bringing sustainability to the fore. There is a place for beauty, pleasure and great design with sustainable practices. My dream is to read and travel more than I already do. And maybe have a malachite powder room. My favourite cities in the world are Hong Kong, Tokyo and London. I love the contrast of history and modernity. I like islands and water surrounding a big city.
On a bad day, my children and chocolate cheer me up. Then I try looking for the good in the bad day. There is always something.