I believe in human ingenuity – that when we decide on a task to be done, no matter how daunting it may seem at the beginning, we are able to unleash human ingenuity and human innovative capacity that was unknown, and takes us to a solution.”
– Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change from 2010-2016.
IT’S ALL GOOD, IT’S ALL FUCKED
FW20
THURSDAY 16 JANUARY, 2020
PARIS – We’re living in strange times, between hope and despair. We are questioning our consciousness, core beliefs and ideas and asking ourselves: ‘What the fuck are we doing?’
It’s too easy to put up with what’s damaging – it’s time to use our ingenuity to create a better world and a healthy environment.
The phrase It’s All Good, It’s All Fucked, is taken from Juliana Spahr’s critically acclaimed book, That Winter The Wolf Came, described as ‘a revelation of the possibilities for resistance in the present’.
“Look at the world as the largest construction zone that we’ve ever witnessed, it’s like a work in progress,” says Preston. “It’s this idea of picking apart and putting it back together in better ways with new solutions, innovations and new technologies. Using your brain to imagine a better world and then designing that into reality.”
The fashion industry is one such place where entrenched systems and narratives are being challenged. It’s where we can begin.
Workwear, a passion of Heron Preston for its integrity and sense of purpose, is worn by do-ers. It is the most authentic form of streetwear, seen everywhere from the mail-carrier to the sanitation department worker.
FW20 includes recycled nylons, thermo-sealed GORE-TEX suiting, guaranteed waterproof and breatheable; cordura puffers; functional pockets on dressed-up tailoring and waterproof zipper details. Waffled denim is inspired by Japanese construction worker outfits, and wool felt has a touch-reactive membrane. Women’s footwear features a spirit-level heel.
Informed choices are our intention going forward, with HPC navigating certified materials and practices through constantly improving traceability. Preston’s collection-in-a-collection, Uniform, is additionally a dedicated space for research, experimentation and development around sustainability.
BRITISH MINISTRY OF DEFENCE COLLAB: For AW20, Preston collaborated with the British Ministry of Defence, specifically their wildlife conservation project which protects animals from poaching in Africa. Featuring an exclusive Heron patch, cargo pants and outerwear are derived from authentic apparel. Their Rhino patch is reimagined in white to highlight extinction issues. A portion of proceeds will be donated to the African Parks organization, who work directly with the Ministry of Defence.
CATERPILLAR COLLAB: Authentic Cat Footwear Stormers boots with a signature orange colorway appear alongside outerwear, hoodies, t-shirts and hats. Preston found inspiration in the purpose-crafted Caterpillar workwear and rugged footwear he witnessed on construction sites all over NYC. In their everyday uniforms, these hard-working women and men are responsible for the infrastructure of our lives. Caterpillar’s mission of keeping those very workers safe and comfortable on the jobsite is integral to this collaborative capsule. Borrowing function, materials, intricate details and trims from the CAT workwear designs, and applying them to his collection, Preston understands wearing the Caterpillar logo means you are part of a community that literally built the streets.
KENNY SCHARF COLLAB: “I went to Kenny’s studio in Los Angeles. I really wanted to look for a painting that I felt would be fitting for the collection,” says Preston. “The work on paper is called Meanie from 1998. We also commissioned Kenny to do another painting specifically for the collection which is my iconic Heron bird that I do every year. This is the first time that I’m having an artist reinterpret the bird, a graphic I launched in season one. Kenny Scharf is a global legend who made his name in the East Village of New York City running around with Basquiat, Keith Haring and Andy Warhol. I’ve been living in New York since 2004 and he is part of the city: the first time I experienced his work was on the street not a museum. There’s an anti-elitist vision that speaks to me and what we do.”
“Meanie is part of my vocabulary and can represent many things,” says Scharf. “Sometimes it is what you think: it is just Meanie. But these angry, scary faces are used to ward away evil and scare away the bad. Like in ancient civilizations, tiki heads and totem poles were for protection. Everything I do is up for interpretation and I often learn from what viewers say.”
Credits
Stylist: Tom Guinness / Intrepid
Casting: Liz Goldson
Photo and Video: Indigital
Hair: Simone Prusso/ Julian Watson Agency
Make up: Mary Cesardi /Julian Watson Agency
Sound Designer: Pedro Cavaliere
Show production: Eyesight
Light Designer: Thierry Dreyfus