Introducing Gabriela Hearst’s Exclusive CR25 Handbag Collection For NET-A-PORTER
Ever since its debut in 2016, GABRIELA HEARST’s handbag collection has grown to include four signature styles (the brand new ‘Leonora’ among them), which are all part of the brand’s CR25 capsule and shoppable exclusively at NET-A-PORTER for a limited time. Here, the Uruguayan designer talks to COLLEEN ROSS about perfecting each design and her important collaboration with Save the Children
New York-based designer Gabriela Hearst is renowned for her considered, slow approach to craft – something she credits to her upbringing on her family’s ranch in Uruguay, where upcycling and repurposing was a way of life. The designer prioritizes low-impact materials in her collections, as well as transparency when it comes to where her products are made.
In line with her zero-waste ethos and commitment to mindful practices, Hearst’s bags, which she first introduced in 2016, are crafted in Italy in limited quantities – originally, only 25 of her first design, ‘Nina’ (in honor of the musician and civil rights activist Nina Simone) were made, generating a long waitlist after its debut. “The ‘Nina’ bag was a prototype for around eight months,” says Hearst. “When I launched the label, I launched with ready-to-wear and shoes, and a friend of mine – [illustrator] Benjamin Seidler – said, ‘You can’t be walking around with someone else’s bag’, and I thought he had a point.” Hearst worked on the bag throughout 2015 and 2016, when a chance encounter with Jony Ive, Apple’s former chief design officer, sealed its fate. “[He] told me: ‘That’s an interesting bag’, and said he wanted one for his wife. So, I went from prototype to actually making them.”
“I’m really excited about the ‘Leonora’ because it’s a bag that took a long time – not to conceptualize, but to make sure the production was perfect
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Since then, her collection has grown to include a range of sculptural styles, including ‘Demi’ (a smaller version of the original ‘Nina’ bag but with the same fortune-cookie shape) and most recently, the ‘Leonora’, which debuted on the FW24 runway. “I’m really excited about the ‘Leonora’ because it’s a bag that took a long time,” reveals Hearst. “Not to conceptualize, but to make sure the production was perfect, the straps were in the right place, that it was comfortable for the woman of action,” she adds, noting that thoughtful details like the additional pouch are ideal for stowing reading glasses or sunglasses. “It is beautiful, practical, and luxurious,” she says. There’s also the ‘Diana’, a chic top-handle style named after Diana Ross, that resembles the bellows of an accordion – a silhouette so distinctive, it’s even been on display at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. While the utilitarian satchel shape of the ‘Leonora’ makes it perfect for the office, ‘Nina’, ‘Diana’ and ‘Demi’ are made to be carried to parties and are true conversation-starters. “You don’t wear a ‘Nina’ or a ‘Diana’ if you don’t want people to talk to you,” Hearst quips.
“Choosing color and material is something I love doing. It is one of my favorite things to do in the design process, finding ingredients; it’s like cooking
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All four styles are a part of the CR25 capsule – available only at NET-A-PORTER for a limited time – and come in an array of captivating jewel tones, neutral leathers and tactile, high-shine finishes. “Choosing color and material is something I love doing,” Hearst notes. “It is one of my favorite things to do in the design process, finding ingredients; it’s like cooking,” she adds. And while only she has the recipe, the results are ours to enjoy.
Alongside her work as a designer and sustainability advocate, Hearst is also a philanthropist committed to supporting various non-profit organizations and sits on the board of directors for Save the Children – a charity she’s been working with since 2017. “[Save the Children] were the ones that opened my eyes to how climate change impacts lives in places like the Horn of Africa. That’s where I did my first field trip with them, and it changed my life, and it changed the course of my career,” says Hearst. In honor of the partnership, a 10% donation* will be made to Save the Children on the sale of selected bags from this capsule, shoppable exclusively at NET-A-PORTER for a limited time.
Like everything Hearst puts her hand and heart to, this collection is designed with love and made to last a lifetime. Discover your forever favorite in our edit now.
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*NET-A-PORTER is donating 10% of its profits** from the sale of this and other specific products to Save The Children.
10% of NET-A-PORTER’s profits* from the sale of this product between October 7 (opening at 7:00am BST or equivalent local times) to November 18 (closing at 9:00am GMT or equivalent local times) for purchases of this product made in:
- The UK and North America will go to The Save the Children Fund. The Save the Children Fund is a registered charity in England and Wales (charity number 213890) and Scotland (SC039570).
- APAC will go to Save the Children Hong Kong Limited. Save the Children Hong Kong Limited is a charitable organization with the HKSAR Government under charitable registration number 91/8943.
- All other countries will go to Save the Children Italia ETS, with Tax no. 97227450158.
The contribution made from the global sales of this product and the other specific products included in this promotional venture is expected to be EUR 33,000 worldwide.
**“Profits” means the sale price of the product less operational and landing costs, including transportation fees, customs, duties, taxes, insurance, currency conversion, crating, handling and payment fees.
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