It's not a surprise that Amanda Hearst started her career in magazines, after all the entrepreneur and activist is heiress to the Hearst Corporation, William Randolph Hearst's media conglomerate which owns publications such as Harper's Bazaar, Cosmopolitan and Elle.
The 38-year-old scion became interested in the environmental implications of the fashion industry after working as market editor at Marie Claire, "I was meeting with designers and fashion houses, learning about the process of creating clothing, seeing what materials they used, and hearing about the challenges facing the industry," she tells Hello! Fashion, "I was just very interested in the stories behind the fashion, and that's how I became interested in sustainability."
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Amanda Hearst is an entrepreneur and advocate for sustainability
The idea for her online boutique Maison De Mode came about after she started writing a column for Marie Claire called 'Feel Good Fashion' where she would talk about her favourite sustainable brands and tell their stories. "I thought that it would be a cool idea to have a pop-up where I could introduce people to these brands in person. Basically, a one-stop shop for people to see that sustainable fashion is luxurious and beautiful." She mentioned this to her friend (and now business partner) Hassan Pierre who found a venue in Miami to do it. Maison de Mode began its life as a small pop-up with just six brands and now it is an ethical fashion retail site with over 70 labels specialising in unique ready-to-wear, fine jewellery, accessories and home goods.
Amanda also consults and collaborates on sustainable ventures with companies like Lacoste and VRAI, Maison De Mode hosts the annual Sustainable Style Awards in Los Angeles. "Our first Sustainable Style Awards was definitely a career highlight. We honoured Suzy Cameron and the guest list was insane." Amanda explains, "We had Elon Musk, James Cameron, Angela Bassett, and Rosario Dawson - just to name a few."
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The socialite welcomed her first child with Norwegian film director Joachim Rønning earlier this year, which made her even more dedicated to the cause, "You do look at the climate crisis differently. Because now I'm not just thinking about how global warming affects me and my generation. I'm looking at my three month old baby and realising that he has his whole life ahead of him, and many of these environmental problems are getting worse."
Greenwashing of course is one of the major areas for concern in the industry which is something that Amanda is acutely aware of, "I think, for now, the consumers just have to continue to demand more transparency from fashion brands. And I think that people need to understand that 'fast fashion' is never sustainable." Since starting her journey as an advocate for sustainability in the industry she has noticed some major changes, "It's definitely come a long way. Now everybody is talking about it, all the major fashion companies have sustainability initiatives, and there is a growing interest in artisan design. So, sustainable fashion has become much more mainstream, especially because the majority of consumers care about it."
According to the activist there's an easy way to incorporate sustainable practices at home "Buy less and buy better. Don't buy more than you need and purchase products that are high-quality and that will last for a long time." With that in mind Amanda shares her top seven sustainable fashion buys to take you into the next season and to help you start shopping a little more consciously:
Amanda Hearst's Top Sustainable Picks:
The Sustainable Sweater
Bethany Sweater in Oatmeal, £392, Maison De Mode
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The Ethical Diamonds
VRAI Ronning Del Sol Earrings, £2,887, Maison De Mode
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The Naturally Dyed Slip Dress
Aphrodite Midi Dress in Rusty Rose, £262, Maison De Mode
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The Vegan Leather Heels
Celia Pumps in Gold, £348, Maison De Mode
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The Upcycled Loafers
Osay Leather Slide Loafer, £129.49, Maison De Mode
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The Artisanal Necklace
Open Heart Yellow Gold Necklace, £4,303, Maison De Mode
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The All Natural Bag
Almond Crochet Bamboo Bag, £249, Maison De Mode
SHOP NOW
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