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Chloé was founded in 1952 by Gaby Aghion and her business partner, Jacques Lenoir. Aghion sought to fill the niche between couture and your standard off-the-rack fare, pioneering the idea of luxury prêt-à-porter with beautifully made clothing that projected a sexy, effortless femininity.

Under Karl Lagerfeld, who became the lead designer in 1964, Chloé flowered as the label of choice among the sort of rich hippie girl who might have dated Mick Jagger and vacationed in Marrakech. In 1997, the young designer Stella McCartney was tapped to replace Lagerfeld (who had split from the label in 1983, only to return in 1992). Many doubted that the 25-year-old rock ’n’ roll princess was up to the job; some industry observers theorized that McCartney had been hired mainly because of her lineage, not her talent. But McCartney, who had apprenticed on Savile Row, surprised them all, scoring a home run her first time at bat, with her tailored wide-leg pantsuits; frilly, vintage-look camisoles; and silk and denim jeans.

In 2001, McCartney launched her own label, and her design assistant, Phoebe Philo, stepped into the spotlight. Delivering a sophisticated, romantic spin on what a party girl wants, Philo became something of a Pied Piper, leading the way for legions of young women who followed her high-waisted jeans and towering platforms. Trailing a cloud of cult-y best-sellers in her wake, she bowed out in 2006 to concentrate on her growing family.

Clare Waight Keller, a former Pringle of Scotland designer, arrived in 2011. Fortunately for Chloé, Waight Keller’s favorite fashion era is the late ’60s and early ’70s—the years when the house bloomed brightest under Lagerfeld. The spirit of the Chloé woman lives on. “Natural, very effortless, and quite joyful,” Waight Keller described it. “It’s not nostalgic, but there’s something there that makes you smile.”

In 2017, Waight Keller departed the brand after six years. Natacha Ramsay-Levi, formerly a designer under Nicolas Ghesquière at Louis Vuitton and Balenciaga, was appointed creative director; her debut collection was Spring 2018.

Following Ramsay-Levi’s departure in 2020, Gabriela Hearst was named creative director. Known for her emphasis on sustainability, Hearst’s debut fall 2021 collection incorporated recycled cashmere, organic cotton, and reworked vintage bags, all of which reduced the collection’s environmental footprint by a reported 400%.