SPIRIT ANIMAL

YOUNG ACTIVIST AMANDA HEARST WALKS THE TALK ON ETHICAL FASHION AND ANIMAL RIGHTS.

Young activist Amanda Hearst walks the talk on ethical fashion and animal rights.

Amanda Hearst’s great-grandfather may be legendary media mogul William Randolph Hearst, but she doesn’t rest on her lineage. The philanthropist, editor, former model, and Water Mill resident also cofounded Maison de Mode, an online retailer of ethically sourced luxury clothing, jewelry, accessories, and home goods. The company brought pop-ups to Bloomingdale’s for Earth Month and provided some of Emma Watson’s all-sustainably-sourced wardrobe for the Beauty and the Beast press tour. “It’s been exciting to see celebrities make the statement that they’re going to dress sustainably because they care,” Hearst says.

For Hearst and her Maison de Mode cofounder, designer Hassan Pierre, ethical fashion involves vegan materials, sustainable textiles, fair-trade practices, and artisanal and philanthropic sourcing. The company recently presented a trunk show in the Hamptons with the eco-conscious label Tome, raising funds to help fight human trafficking.

Hearst’s main charitable focus is animal welfare. She’s a Humane Society board member and founded the organization Friends of Finn to combat inhumane puppy mills after discovering that her own beloved pooch was from an unethical breeder—despite having paperwork to the contrary. “Even if you ask the questions,” she says, “they just lie to you.” Hearst has even participated in five puppy-mill raids with police.

On one raid, the enraged owner of the house returned unexpectedly. It was worth the risk, but, she laughs, “I just kept thinking, Isn’t there some law where you can shoot people if they’re on your property?” maison-de-mode.com