Luxury streetwear pioneer Heron Preston has announced his departure from the Italian fashion production and distribution group, New Guards Group (NGG). The move marks a significant shift for the eponymous brand, founded by the designer known for his distinctive aesthetic rooted in workwear, art, and sustainability.
The news of the separation was personally confirmed by Heron Preston himself. In a direct statement posted on the homepage of his brand’s official website, Preston signaled a strategic shift, declaring that he “fought hard to reclaim my brand.” This assertion underscores a potential desire for greater creative and operational control over his label’s future trajectory.
A Strategic Departure
Further illustrating the break from the previous structure, the Heron Preston brand’s website homepage has been notably cleared of content. This appears to be a symbolic gesture, wiping the slate clean as the brand prepares for its next phase. Complementing this digital reset, the label’s Instagram account has also been closed.
Preston articulated his vision for the path forward, stating that the next chapter will be dedicated to building the brand with “intention, freedom and clarity.” This suggests a focus on a more independent approach, potentially allowing the designer greater autonomy in creative direction, production, and distribution strategies, moving away from the group framework that previously supported the brand.
Origins and Growth Under NGG
Heron Preston launched his label in early 2017. The brand was established through a partnership with New Guards Group, an entity renowned for incubating and developing contemporary and streetwear-focused luxury brands. This collaboration proved fruitful in its initial stages, providing the infrastructure and expertise necessary for rapid scaling in the competitive global fashion market.
The partnership quickly demonstrated commercial success. Within its first two years of operation under the NGG umbrella, the Heron Preston brand generated a reported €25 million in revenue. This early financial performance solidified the brand’s position as a significant player within the luxury streetwear segment championed by NGG.
The last collection presented under the aegis of the New Guards Group partnership was showcased at New York Fashion Week. This presentation featured the Fall/Winter 2023 season collection, effectively marking the culmination of this specific collaborative chapter for the brand on the international fashion stage.
Context Within New Guards Group’s Evolution
Heron Preston’s exit is not an isolated event within the New Guards Group portfolio. This departure follows a series of other notable brands that have recently separated from the Italian group. Among these are Ambush, Palm Angels, Off-White, and County of Milan. These successive exits suggest a broader trend or strategic restructuring within NGG, potentially impacting the landscape of designer-led brands previously operating under its operational framework.
The corporate structure surrounding NGG provides further context for these shifts. New Guards Group itself was acquired by the global luxury fashion platform Farfetch in 2019 in a significant transaction aimed at integrating brand ownership and retail capabilities. More recently, Farfetch was subsequently acquired by the Korean e-commerce giant Coupang, a deal that closed in early 2024. These overarching corporate changes at the parent level may have contributed to the dynamics and strategic realignments seen within the NGG portfolio, including brand partnerships like the one with Heron Preston.
Looking Ahead for the Brand
As Heron Preston embarks on this new phase, the focus on “intention, freedom and clarity” suggests a potential pivot towards a more focused or creatively driven approach. An independent structure could allow the brand to explore new retail models, direct-to-consumer strategies, or more personal and experimental design directions, free from the potentially different commercial imperatives of a large group.
The market will keenly watch how the Heron Preston brand evolves outside the NGG ecosystem. Its journey will provide insights into the viability and strategies for established designer streetwear labels navigating independence in a dynamic global fashion industry.
The departure signals not only the end of a successful partnership but also the designer’s clear intent to forge a future for his brand on his own terms, emphasizing creative control and a redefined strategic direction in the luxury market.
