Designer Gabriela Hearst’s business has always been about sustainability. Recently, she presented the first ever carbon-neutral fashion show, which took her quest one step further. Her show producer Bureau Betak focused on minimizing transportation, energy usage, and waste. Then, he worked with the climate change advisory firm EcoAct to determine the offset amounts necessary to balance her carbon footprint. The funds earned will be donated to Hifadhi-Livelihood’s Project in Embu and Tharaka Nithi Counties of Kenya.
From the farm-to-table lunch spread, to the trimmings that adorned the clothes, nature’s bounty was on display at the Hearts show. The latter were used as inspiration for the collection’s color palette since, per the show notes, their “perfect design is ultimately found in nature.” Each attendee was gifted with a silk twill scarf, printed with insects that have recently become extinct due to urbanization, that was placed upon each seat. Here, too, Hearst went the extra mile by making a financial donation to Our Children’s Trust in each guest’s name. The organization works to ensure that future generations will inherit a healthy planet. With a sharp eye on luxury and longevity, Hearst presented her most artisanal collection to date featuring macramé and woven hemp details and bags.
Mattel, the company that conquered the doll world by dividing it into idealized Barbies and Kens, introduced a new line of gender-neutral dolls for boys, girls and children in between. The new line, called Creatable world, was introduced this season. Mattel intended to reflect our culture “as the world continues to celebrate the positive impact of inclusivity,” said Kim Culmone, senior vice president of Mattel Fashion Doll Designs. She led the team that designed the new dolls.
“Toys are a reflection of culture and as the world continues to celebrate the positive impact of inclusivity, we felt it was time to create a doll line free of labels,” stated Culmone. “Through research, we heard that kids don’t want their toys dictated by gender norms.”
Available in different skin tones, each doll comes with two wigs of different lengths. Hair types include curly, straight and braided. The kit also comes with several wardrobe options that allow children to style the doll with “short or long hair, or in a skirt, pants or both.”
Mattel has been hard at work to make its best-selling products more diverse. Earlier this year, the company rolled out Barbie dolls with disabilities, including a doll with a wheelchair and one with a removable prosthetic limb.
Mattel’s Creatable World dolls retail for $30 each and are available at major retailers online.