Heron Preston has officially taken back full and exclusive ownership of his namesake label, marking a new chapter for one of the most influential designers to emerge from the 2010s streetwear movement. After years of operating under the umbrella of New Guards Group (NGG), the Farfetch owned fashion incubator, Preston announced that he has reacquired the intellectual property right attached to his name. It is a significant move for the Brooklyn-based designer.
While the terms of the deal remain undisclosed, Heron made it clear that the decision was hard-won. The reacquisition not only puts Heron back in control, but also restores his creative autonomy, something he says had been stifled under corporate oversight.
Breaking Away From a Business
New Guards Group, once the engine behind some of the most culture-defining labels in fashion, including Off-White, Palm Angels, Ambush and Alunai, has been in flux since being acquired by Farfetch in 2019. Intended as a way for Farfetch to launch and scale owned brands, the acquisition quickly ran into difficulties as the platform’s strategy sprawled and investor confidence began to wane. In 2023, Farfetch teetered on the edge of a bankruptcy before being acquired by South-Korean e-commerce giant Coupang. In the wake of that sale, NGG began shedding many of the labels in his portfolio. Preston now joins the growing list of designers who have reclaimed their independence.
From Milan to Brooklyn
Having launched his label under NGG in 2017, Heron Preston quickly became one of the defining voices of a new menswear generation. Alongside fellow Been Trill alumni Virgil Abloh, Matthew M. Williams and Justin Saunders, Preston helped redefine the codes of contemporary streetwear. But the business pressure, according to Preston, often made it difficult to stay connected to the joy and purpose of creating.
Now, with operations shifting from Milan to Brooklyn, the designer is taking time to recentre. The brand’s last seasonal collection was Autumn/Winter 2023, shown during the New York Fashion Week. A full relaunch is being planned for October 2025, though Preston is taking a patient, reflective approach to the process.
Stepping Back Into His Own World
In addition to breaking ties with NGG, Preston has ended his partnership with H&M, where he had been serving as creative menswear advisor since 2023. The role saw him release two capsule collections with the fast-fashion giant, but moving forward Preston is hitting pause on collaborations altogether.
Instead, the designer’s focus is squarely on rebuilding his brand from the inside out. That includes continuing to develop his sustainability-driven design practice L.E.D. studio (short for Less Environmentally Destructive), which was announced last year. The studio will serve as both a creative space and a research led platform, for exploring more responsible design methods, something Preston has described as central to the next phase of his career.
