Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso Does Fashion Have a Future? Designer Gabriela Hearst is Threading the Needle.
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Oct 19, 2025 Gabriela Hearst, an acclaimed designer and founder of her namesake fashion house, is passionate about sustainability in fashion. She shares insights from her rich upbringing on a Uruguayan ranch, detailing how gaucho traditions inspire her artistic philosophy. Hearst candidly discusses her journey from acting to fashion, overcoming personal challenges through creativity. She emphasizes the importance of high-quality materials over fast fashion, advocating for ‘honest luxury’ as a way to protect the planet while crafting garments that empower women.
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Ranch Roots Shaped Sustainability
- Gabriela Hearst traced her sustainability commitment to summers herding cattle on her family's 17,000-acre Uruguay ranch.
- That upbringing taught her resource respect and influenced her nearly circular Spring-Summer 2026 collection made from 80%+ deadstock fabrics.
Leaving Home Because The Path Called
- Hearst described leaving Uruguay at 17 to pursue life abroad, including Australia and later New York.
- Those moves were driven by a persistent internal calling and a willingness to act despite opposition.
Mother's Gaucho Strength Informs Design
- Gabriela recalled her mother competing in rodeo and performing the same demanding tasks as men.
- Those memories of toughness and practical gaucho dress inform her design sensibility and uniform-like pieces.