WORDS BY AMELIA BELL
Heron Preston is a man of many talents; a former DSNY artist, current proprietor of a global retail pop-up store and one-time Kanye collaborator. What we’re trying to say is that he’s pretty damn cool. More importantly, his eponymous label, known for its streetwear and slogan tees, harnesses the myriad of creative outlets that make Preston tick. But what else did we learn when we caught up with this artist-turned-designer? He loves cooking for one, knows his music, and is a bit obsessed by the colour orange - in case you couldn’t tell by now! And there’s more...
Farfetch: So what’s your label’s aesthetic?
Heron Preston: ‘I would say it’s workwear inspired, luxury streetwear with a New York point of view.’
Sum up your latest collection for us...
‘The SS18 collection, which I called “Show House” was inspired by the idea of model homes and the kitsch that goes with them - I love kitsch and wanted to bring it into the spotlight and show how things like kittens and fruit bowl graphics can be cool, not just cheesy!’
We’ve noticed there’s a whole lot of orange in there...
‘Heron Preston as a brand is workwear inspired; orange is a key color in the uniforms of construction workers, firefighters [and] I have always identified with the idea of labor, and the blood, sweat and tears that go into their job function. So the use of orange and reflective elements pays homage to the work they do.'
What’s your own everyday uniform?
‘While I obviously switch up my daily looks, I'd have to say you can most often find me in sweatpants and a pair of Uggs!'
What made you want to become a designer?
‘I didn’t really set out with the intention of becoming a designer, I started out producing tees, mostly because I was passionate about skate and street culture, and graphic tees were such a part of that. Since those days I have designed several collections of my own, worked on multiple collabs, and designed merch for Kanye and Justin Timberlake, but being a designer is only one part of what I do.'
Tell us about the Heron logo...
‘I really love the bold and clean look of my logo, it's a good representation of the style of graphic I'm drawn to, which is also reflected throughout the SS18 collection.’
Who is your biggest design inspiration?
‘Mother Nature.’
Who do you follow on Instagram and why?
'Freaks, geeks and friends! They all give me life and inspiration, I also recently started following the World Star Hip Hop account and it’s become my daily go to.’
What did you last listen to?
‘Bloody Waters from the Black Panther soundtrack.’
What’s your hidden talent?
‘Cooking! I just moved into a new apartment with a much bigger kitchen so I’m super excited for the chance to experiment more in the kitchen.’
Finally, can you give us a hint on your next exciting project?
‘I’ve just started meeting about the next phase of the DSNY project that we launched last September with a see-now buy-now presentation at the DSNY Salt Shed – stay tuned!’
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