After showing in Paris for several seasons, fashion designer Heron Preston returned to New York Fashion Week. He filled his audience with friends and family in addition to the usual crowd of fashion editors, stylists and retail buyers. Preston noted that his collection was inspired by New York. “My mission is to celebrate the people that make New York the city that it is,” shared the NYC-based designer when asked to share his inspiration.
For his fall-winter 2023 collection, the San Francisco native stayed true to his brand’s identity of everyday essential workwear. The collection was also replete with outerwear, a favorite for the designer. Preston sent a plethora of shearlings, puffers and faux fur coats down the runway—all perfect for combating NYC's brutal winters.
Preston also mixed in ski and snowboard elements here and there, with performance jackets, pants and a thermal base layer set in waffle and fleece. Additional technical outerwear options included puffer jackets, windbreakers and quilted vests produced from recycled nylon as part of Preston's Ex-Ray sustainable initiative.
As for the accessories, nostalgia played a role there. The brand's men's Toby Mid Top shoe is reminiscent of '90s skateboarding culture. Plus, the Level Heel, a detail made famous by Preston, is reintroduced as a hero item in the women’s collection.
