Creating a popular namesake label doesn’t seem as easy as it lets on. You’re essentially asking the consumer to buy into you, instead of an abstract and flexible concept or brand. I’m always surprised to see people wearing merchandise with someone’s name stamped on it, and especially when that name is relatively new. Heron Preston, however, isn’t relatively new. He’s been mentioned in streetwear articles for years. In fact, if you’re somewhat of a seasoned vet within that realm, you’ll recognize him as one of the creators of Been Trill (RIP kind of), a label that epitomized the strength of internet hype back in 2013. Though Heron only debuted his first solo collection at NYFW last year, it’s easy to understand why this new namesake brand has the potential to blow up and actually stick around this time. Since his break away and launch of HPC Trading Co., Heron seems to have nailed down and capitalized on his strengths. Innovative, experimental, and unpredictable, he has a unique knack for taking conventional themes and reinterpreting them. With the internet era making us all increasingly dependent on the new and salivating over the unique, Heron Preston seems to be pressing all the right buttons. Check out photos above, where we interpret pieces from his “For You, The World” collection, and shop a similar look below.
05.25.17
Ex Infinitas, a rising fashion label created by Australian designer Lukas Vincent, is a carefully crafted contradiction. In its name, meaning Of Infinity in Latin, you can find the employment of an ancient language to express an allusion to the future. In its inspiration, you can find a subculture, surfing, once regarded as "low" culture by its creator, reconsidered and then reconstructed into the "high" culture of fashion. Clever, no? Yes, and if you know me, you know I'm not one to turn down a good paradox. Doing my usual, weekly browse of new talent and brands in the Menswear section of FarFetch, I stumbled across a piece of outerwear I knew was different from the rest. It was this classic trucker jacket in a muted sand-toned denim, skillfully paired with a loud, neon orange belt attached to the loops on its waist. While most would merely see a jacket what I saw was a perfect contradiction. I knew immediately that I wanted to style it with simple tones, in all black, as to highlight the jacket in the most overt way I possibly could. Finally, in order to complicate things even further, I thought to add a feminine plot twist to the look with thigh-high heeled boots, purposefully clashing with the jacket's masculine shape and intention. Shop similar pieces below to get the same look. -A