Chloé announces collab’ collection with Angelina Jolie as rumors swirl that creative director Gabriela Hearst may be leaving

By

Godfrey Deeny

Published
Jun 6, 2023

The maison of Chloé announced plans Monday for a forthcoming collab’ collection with Angelina Jolie, even as rumors have begun swirling again that its creative director Gabriela Hearst may be about to leave the house.

“The maison Chloé is proud to announce its upcoming collaboration with creative collective Atelier Jolie on an exclusive womenswear collection of ready-to-wear pieces. An exercise in modern femininity, the capsule collection celebrates authentic women-to-women connections,” Chloé said in a release.
 
It will be co-designed by Hearst and Jolie, an actress and filmmaker who recently revealed a new fashion project named, Atelier Jolie. 

However, barely hours after the announcement of the collab’ reports began circulating that Hearst may be about to quit Chloé. Already back in December of last year, reports had been rife that Hearst might depart, and be replaced by former Chloé designer Clare Waight Keller.
 
And, today, hours after the Jolie announcement, Women’s Wear Daily and Instagram blogger Stylenot.com were speculating that Hearst wanted to spend more time with her family and own brand in New York. And that she was finding the continual transatlantic travel overwhelming between her own studio in New York and Chloé’s in Paris.
 
Hearst joined Chloé in December 2020, garnering generally positive reviews for her collections, even if some commentators thought they too closely resembled her own signature line. The Uruguayan-born designer staged the first runway show of her own eponymous label in New York in February 2017, focusing heavily on sustainability.
 
So influential was her own brand that Hearst won the 2020 CFDA American Women’s Designer Award for the that year. Moreover, sales were believed to have been strong at Chloé, which is controlled by the giant Swiss-based luxury group, Richemont.
 
The release from the house of Chloé did not indicate when the collab’ with Jolie Atelier will be released. Instead it explained the collection would have fluid silhouettes and tactile details. A “capsule collection with an eveningwear focus and a timeless aesthetic inspired by perennial pieces from Jolie’s own well-loved wardrobe.” 
 
Chloé even described Jolie its “inaugural collaborator,” suggesting there are more in the pipeline. And that Chloé may be about to follow the example of another Richemont controlled house, AZ Factory, which has been developing collections with multiple designers for the past several seasons.

The house added that the collection would honour “both brands’ respective commitments to improving social and environmental sustainability with greater transparency and accountability.”

Drawing on Chloé’s network of international makers, reinforced by its B Corp certification, and incorporating a higher percentage of lower-impact materials than any previous collection from the maison.
  
“From the moment I heard about Angelina’s vision for Atelier Jolie, I believed in it. It is a way to elevate others through the beauty of garment-making and her deep respect for the environment. It’s an honour for me that Chloé will be the first collaborator for Atelier Jolie, as both have high ideals for the betterment of our species. That is the reason why I love both Angelina and Chloé so deeply,” Hearst said.
 
“Very few luxury brands are a certified B Corp. It was important to me to work with Chloé, one of the first luxury brands to be a B Corp. It has been a privilege to design with Gabriela Hearst, and I hope all women will feel comfortable and beautiful in this capsule collection. My earnings from this collaboration will be invested in establishing apprenticeships for tailors and artisans at Atelier Jolie,” added Jolie.