Heron Preston isn't shy about his disdain for the fashion industry's rigid codes. He's publicly railed against "pointless" designer collaborations, for instance, and sought out eco-conscious materials to in a bid to combat waste. Even sneakerheads aren't safe!
But Preston isn't going against the grain simply because he enjoys stepping on toes. He's just tired of staid norms that box in creatives who instead ought to be free to, you know, create.
Most of all, Heron Preston is bored. Or, at least, he was.
"I get bored quickly," the New York-based designer told Highsnobiety. "I needed a new challenge. I needed to have a space (figuratively speaking) I could control 100%, free of commercial pressure. Free of industry pressure. Free of the pressures of being in a partnership."
Thus, in early 2023, Preston began work on what would become L.E.D. Studio, a sprawling new practice that's as multifaceted and difficult to define as Preston himself.
"Tomorrow is not promised and there is no time but the present. Why wait? When it feels good, then that is the time to go," said Preston. "It felt like I had enough in place as far as thinking around the idea of my studio. I was ready to share these ideas with the world."
That's why L.E.D. (Less Environmentally Destructive) Studio launched without any of the streetwear-y luxury clothing that Preston's eponymous clothing line — owned and operated by New Guards Group — is known for.
Preston instead kicked the door down with three distinct pieces of furniture, each created in partnership with artists like Matt Pecina's Studio Guapo and Devon Turnbull while exploring the possibilities of upcycled interior design.
For example, L.E.D. Studio's $6,000 "So-Low Table" — first devised by Preston and Gustavo Barroso over three years ago — is a single-piece construct fabricated from "reclaimed NYC cardboard boxes," individually shaped with papier-mâché and epoxy in place of traditional fastenings.
This is not typical commercial fare but that's because L.E.D. Studio isn't about Heron Preston, the brand. It's about Heron Preston, the man.
"Furniture is new [for me], so I wanted what was coming from me to feel new for everyone," Preston explained. "I love furniture. It’s an extension of culture and objects that we interact with daily, essential to how we live. How often would you say you sit in a chair, or use a table?"
But Preston's got much more than products planned for L.E.D. Studio: he's also devising L.E.D. Studio-exclusive video content, an on-site AI-powered chatbot, and Service Center, his own in-house creative agency.
Then, there's the Heron Preston L.E.D. Initiative, a foundation to create grants and support that "empower young Black creatives, offering resources and guidance to help each award recipient navigate the industry and build a long successful career." (sign-ups for that begin on June 15, by the way, so set a reminder to check L.E.D. Studio's website)
Preston has aims to eventually invite fans into his world through L.E.D. Studio's "Open to Everyone" policy, a concept that recalls the DIY toolkit created by Preston's pal Virgil Abloh, "FREE GAME."
"It’s like an open door policy," Preston said.
"I want the takeaway to be, 'there's a place for me here,' whether as a fan, a potential partner or collaborator. 'Open to Everyone' suggests that I am open to hearing your voice, your feedback, your ideas. It’s about inclusivity and cultural relevancy, a simple gesture to show respect to my community and those interested in LED practice."
L.E.D. Studio may have been devised as a solution to Heron Preston's itinerant industry boredom but it has the potential to expand into something especially impactful. Perhaps Preston will pave the way for the next great designer or maybe he'll simply make it easier for kids to get their start in the biz.
Win-win either way and, if nothing else, L.E.D. Studio is at least guaranteed to give Preston the freedom he craves.
"I feel like I have way more to offer the world, but the way my current situation is set up, it’s just a bit too limiting and restrictive of my potential," he said. "I know I haven’t hit my full potential yet. I see my studio as another step in that direction."
