Reflecting on the essence of the Gabriela Hearst woman, Paul Smith instinctively returned to two photographs taken in the British countryside by his father, a textile professional and amateur lensman, during the 1950s and 1960s. One captures the quiet majesty of a mountain; the other, the fluid movement of a waterfall. Nature has influenced Hearst’s work since the beginning, in both spirit and practice. A long-time admirer of Paul Smith’s work, she grew up on a ranch in Uruguay where objects were made to last and every piece had a purpose. The collection came to fruition from Paul and Gabriela’s longstanding friendship, stemming from their shared inspiration of family—Paul’s father and Gabriela’s grandmother. The archival images serve as the narrative thread of the collection, reflecting their personal histories and the values that connect them.
Across fourteen men’s and women’s pieces, traditional tailoring becomes a canvas for exploration through printing and hand-crafting techniques. Silk satin trench coats and bias-cut slip dresses evoke shifting horizons, bringing fluid movement to structured silhouettes. All-over prints on virgin wool barré suiting bring a sense of play to the precision of Italian-made tailoring. Soft cashmere crewnecks in spaced-dyed Welfat yarn hand-knit by Manos del Uruguay, a nonprofit cooperative supporting economic independence for women in rural communities, reflect the collection’s commitment to artisanal process and responsible production.
Landscapes are interpreted literally and abstractly across the collaboration’s accessories, harnessed in signature Gabriela Hearst styles such as the Nina and Demi top-handle bags. The result expands both designers’ visual language and material approach to structure and craft.
Photographed by Cathy Kasterine and styled by Camilla Nickerson, the campaign brings these evocative landscapes into the urban environment, capturing a raw New York sensibility. Featuring contemporary artists, musicians, writers, and creatives, the imagery draws inspiration from the creative era of a young Patti Smith and the current cultural moment of Brooklyn musician Cameron Winter.
The limited-edition collection launches May 20, 2026 at Paul Smith boutiques and paulsmith.com, as well as Gabriela Hearst flagship stores in Beverly Hills, New York, and London, and at gabrielahearst.com.
