Issa Rae and America Ferrara Turn Out for Gabriela Hearst’s Last Fashion Show for Chloé

The Chloé spring/summer 2024 collection marks Gabriela Heart’s last one for the brand. It was announced in July that she’d be stepping down after weeks of rumors about her departure. But on Sept. 28 during Paris Fashion Week, she went out in style, with a finale of bombastic cheer in front of a host of Hollywood A-listers from Barbie actresses America Ferrera and Issa Rae to names including Olivia Wilde, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, singer Kelly Rowland and tennis star Venus Williams.

“I’ve known Gabriela since going to the Met Gala with her back in 2016, for Gabriela Hearst [Hearst’s eponymous brand]. And, to now be here and see her journey with Chloé is emotional but I’m really proud of what she has done with the company to make it a B Corp to everything ethically for the climate is emotional. But I’m thrilled and excited to be sharing this with her,” said Mbatha-Raw, who stars in Apple TV+’s Surface.

Flowers took center stage in the collection, including orchids, lilies and the lotus, a symbol of consciousness. It makes sense that Hearst would focus on the latter, as she’s been at the forefront of consciousness in the style world, from her focus on climate change and finding sustainable solutions in fashion to partnering with indigenous artisans to create accessories in her past collections. She has also partnered with actress Angelina Jolie’s fashion venture Atelier Jolie. All of this has landed Chloé noteworthy accolades like obtaining a B Corp status, all thanks to Hearst’s dedicated work. The artisans from around the world that the brand has worked with include Akanjo, a Madagascar-based World Fair Trade Organization, and Mifuko, a Kenyan social enterprise comprised of 1,300 skilled women from rural areas.

Using leather, wool crepe jersey, ceramic buckles, textured linen and silk to tell the sartorial story this season led to some bold pieces like an all-leather dress, tailored jackets, desirable trench coats and bold wrap skirts. Tapping into the zygomorphic shapes of orchids, there were also cutouts, balloon sleeves, plunging necklines and curved seam work in various pieces. Hearst spent just as much time on the accessories as she did on the fashion pieces. Summer sandals like the Rebecca strappy wedge sandal are inspired by Karl Lagerfeld’s 1993 Chloé show on ancient Greek mythology.

While the show started off with the typical formality of a fashion show, it ended with flair. Mangueira, a samba band from Brazil, entered the runway for the finale giving a lively performance with drums, flags and dancing. After the models walked a second time, out came Hearst weaving in and out of the band, dancing and smiling, bringing amusement to the audience. No one can say Gabriela Hearst is not going out with a bang.