Heron Preston’s NYFW Debut
New York Fashion Week kicked off this weekend, with Heron Preston making an eagerly-anticipated runway comeback. The show marked the designer’s first in nearly three years, and his first for NYFW, having turned all things digital during the height of the pandemic and staying that way long after his peers made their runway comebacks. This IRL comeback shows exactly why Preston has become one of the city’s most prolific new designers.
Based in the city itself, the label has previously only shown as part of Paris Fashion Week. This homecoming debut feels overdue to say the least. The FW23 show was a tribute to the culture of New York City. It was held in a room with concrete floors and white columns jutting up to an exposed ceiling, creating an industrialist atmosphere that coupled nicely with the brand’s signature street-style aesthetic.
The show opened with a group of men in construction vests spray painting walking paths of blue, orange, red and white. The models then began walking across the space, mimicking the pedestrian nature of the city. Upcycling was a key part of the collection, further paying homage through the repurposed use of pieces from within NYC.
As is to be expected, streetwear was on full display in the collection. One model walked in distressed-indigo jeans, paired with a layered worker’s shirt and a red hat that read S.T.F.U.
Heron Preston/Vogue Runway
Another wore a repurposed security vest over a white hoodie, paired with black fur boots and cargo shorts, showing off the designer’s ‘Anything Goes!’ mantra that he aptly titled the show after.
Heron Preston/Vogue Runway
One of the final looks saw a model walking in a black dress draped over a biker-styled shirt with “Heron” written over it. The baseball cap, thorned heels and choker worked together to combine the casual with the out-there.
Heron Preston/Vogue Runway
In a statement backstage before the show commenced, Preston explained that one of his primary goals was to make sure everyone knows that “Heron is still around.” It is safe to say that this goal is one he more than succeeded in accomplishing.
Thomas Publow is a contributor at Glossi Mag. Currently finishing his degree in journalism from Toronto Metropolitan University, Thomas considers himself an expert in all things VMAs and Beyoncé.
