Gabriela Hearst Reimagines La Onda with New Resort Collection

Gabriela Hearst’s women’s Resort 2022 collection embraces a sense of community through examining the Mexican counter-culture avant-garde movement of La Onda (The Wave). Inspiration was drawn from the Jipitecas, followers of the social and political movement, looking to its focus on indigenous master craftsmanship and a vision of the cosmos. The collection is made out of 49% deadstock and upcycled materials.

Hearst sought to go beyond the superficial interpretation of the Jipiteca culture in the West to support the craft, the collective, and the spirit within. The crochet and embroidery appliqués in the collection reference the “Birth of Moon” drawings, in which lines connect various phases of the moon. A Chakana, also known as the Inca Cross, is constructed, representing the multiple levels of existence.

The custom-made lace is based on the geometry of the Mitla Ruins on Monte Alban. The spiral-wave design specifically employed the Xicalcoliuhqui motif, commonly found in Mesoamerican art. 

Other than pre-existing stylistic approaches, Hearst also referenced art created by nature in this collection. The landscape sweaters depict images of Machu Picchu, Teotihuacan, Yellowstone, and Aspen, hinting a deeper discourse on “the American dream.”