Who is Heron Preston? Everything about the new Creative Menswear Advisor of H&M

The announcement of a collaboration, termed H2, between Heron Preston and H&M has the fashion world in a buzz. This news was made in a press statement released by H&M on September 6, 2023. These days, collaborations have become so common that fans rarely get hyped up when a new one is announced.

It is therefore refreshing to see fans eager for what the collaboration has to offer. This excitement is because Heron Preston isn't just collaborating with the menswear giant to produce a capsule of men's clothes; he is bringing his expertise and creativity to bear while H&M is providing the platform, which spans globally, for him to convey his ideas to life.

Emerging as the new creative director of the collaboration, or partnership, as many have chosen to call it, Heron Preston will be working alongside H&M to create closed-loop systems in the fashion industry whilst sharing his ideas with the rest of the fashion world.

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Who Is Heron Preston?

Heron wears so many hats, so it might be hard to associate him with a particular line of work. The New York-based designer is also an artist and a disc jockey.

Born in San Francisco on April 18, 1983, he moved to New York in 2004 to study at the Parsons School of Design, and after graduating in 2007, he settled in the state and made it his home base.

His career kicked off when Al Moran, founder of the Moran Moran art gallery known as OHWOW, saw his photos of street kids and offered him a publishing deal. It was not long after that he met Virgil Abloh and began working for Nike as a marketing specialist and social media director.

In 2012, he co-founded the streetwear brand 'Been Trill'. This was done alongside influential figures in music and fashion, such as Virgil Abloh, Justin Saunders, and Matthew Williams. The collaboration was formed originally for Disc Jockeying, but as they gained an international reputation, they began to produce signature shirts, hats, and hoodies that have become quite popular streetwear.

In 2016, he collaborated with the New York City Sanitation Department (DSNY) on a ground-breaking endeavor, creating a collection of zero-waste clothing made from upcycled sanitation worker uniforms.

He was introduced to the New Guards group by Virgil Abloh in 2017 and went on to launch his eponymous clothing line, Heron Preston, in 2017, debuting it at the Paris Fashion Week.

To add to his impressive resume, Heron collaborated with NASA to celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2018.

Heron's enthusiasm and love for creating good and sustainable fashion made him the ideal man for the H&M position.

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More about the H2 Collaboration

The collaboration between Heron and H&M, rightfully dubbed H2, is a collaboration that leans towards design advisory, special advisory, and empowering young people.

The collaboration is built on four main pillars, namely: unique and special collections, advisory for H&M design teams, discovery and mentorship of young creative talent, and circular innovation programs with a commitment to closing the loop of fashion.

Heron is expected to bring his unique perspectives and expertise into the project to inspire new ways of thinking among the Swedish clothing giant's creative team. The H2 collection would serve as a testing ground to explore the future of circular fashion.

Whilst the H2 collaboration is unlike any other, with its futuristic approach to fashion, it would seem that Heron Preston is just the person to undertake this feat. We are sure that fans around the world can't wait to see what the talented designer has in store for them.