After Heron Preston launched his namesake label in 2017, it didn’t take long for a cool, downtown crowd to flock to the streetwear brand—especially given he once also DJ’d as part of the Been Trill collective alongside Virgil Abloh and Matthew Williams, and served as an art director to Kanye West. Since he was such a notable name in New York’s new creative class, and a regular fixture during NYFW, his recent disappearance from the spotlight has been puzzling, with many wondering: What exactly happened?
But now, there’s good news for Heron Preston fans: He’s back. Today, Preston is formally relaunching his namesake label—and its new outlook reflects what the designer has been quietly working on behind-the-scenes. Earlier this year, Preston bought back all rights to his label from New Guards Group, the Italian luxury holding company that had been controlling the brand since its launch. (The group, which has owned brands like Palm Angels, has been undergoing financial restructuring.) Call it a reset: Preston now owns and operates 100% of his brand, and he says it will now feature a more sophisticated and grown-up attitude going forward. “[Before,] it felt like I was having to execute someone else’s vision,” says Heron. “But now, I feel like I have a new lease on life, where I can finally control my creativity, vision, and voice. Artists should own their own work.”
With his current brand, Preston says he wanted to focus on sleek, well-cut wardrobe staples that are fit for everyday wear. “It’s designed for people who don’t need to wear a spectacle to feel confident,” Preston says. While his previous collections have leaned heavily into statement graphic tees and bright oranges (his signature hue), his new clothes now better represent where he is at in life at the moment—a grown-up, a new dad—while still nodding to the edgy spirit his brand became known for. “I’ve been tapping into old Heron,” he says. “Looking at old photos and blogs of when I moved to New York City from San Fransisco, and bringing that into a new world.”
The new pieces will be rolled out slowly. Preston will be releasing small capsule collections in drops, with seven key items in each batch. “We want to build a wardrobe block by block—not dumping an entire assortment of pieces on you, which I feel is overwhelming,” he says. Each drop will have a distinct feel or aesthetic to it. His first batch—dubbed “Foundation: The Blue Line Edit”—is available to purchase today, and ranges from $195 to $945 USD.
The line includes simple straight-leg jeans for him, or a black long-sleeve shirt with a simple heron bird print on it. For her, there are also athletic-style pieces like a camo-print bra top-and-leggings set. “The Blue Line Edit is about cutting away all of the fat: I was making too much stuff,” says Preston. “I wanted to do a much tighter curation of wardrobe staples.” His Block 2 will arrive on December 11—featuring items like a black zip-up hoodie, camo bomber jacket, white dress shirt, and red studded leather belt—and further drops will be released thereafter.
While a neutral color palette of black, gray, and white will be present throughout the line, Preston says that he has plans to include more colorful and graphic pieces, too. (That was his fashion calling card, after all.) “I really want to experiment and use this as a time to get feedback from the community, to really understand what’s working and what’s not,” he says.
Further down in the pipeline, the designer also wants to incorporate more upcycled and one-of-one pieces into his drops. “I want to get back to the old Heron, with screen-printing graphics by hand in my studio, really connecting with people through more of a human touch. That’s something super exciting that I really care about.”
Preston’s focus on revamping neutral basics—with interesting textures or cuts—feels right for our stealth-chic moment. “I want [customers] to feel like they are wearing pieces that were designed with intention and purpose,” he says. “There is a more grown-up and confident voice to the brand, and it’s a lot more focused as well.”
With that, Preston is also excited to see how he can innovate and challenge himself in quieter and more refined ways. “I feel like I have the keys to the car, and I’m driving for the first time in a long time,” he says. “The sky is the limit.”
As for if you will see Preston back on the NYFW calendar anytime soon, given his shows were once in a must-see slot? He says he has hopes to do a runway show—but in due time. (Meaning, don’t hold your breathe for a February presentation.) “I m going to wait and take my time,” Preston says. “I definitely want to start bringing people together again. That’s really what I miss the most, though—is just having fun. These past few years have been really serious for me; I have been shouldering a lot. I’m like, can I just have fun again?”
