Take a look backstage at Heron Preston's Fall/Winter 2023 runway show.

Photography by Mich Cardin

On a cold February day, fashion designer Heron Preston walked around the streets of New York City picking up trash. Last week, those pieces of trash were sent out to editors and VIPs as invitations to his Fall/Winter 2023 show. While other designers might send out a more formal card attached to some flowers or even an elaborate collectible with a note, Preston didn't see the point. "Less new paper. Less new material."
As he explains, "The invitations are a smaller look into the larger picture of my new sustainability practice Less Environmentally Destructive (L.E.D) which is a pillar of the collection this season." While the conversation around sustainability in fashion is not a new one, it's an evolving one. Many Maisons have transitioned to recycled fabrics, no-waste design techniques, and reusable energy sources in production. But the big hill that designers and fashion lovers haven't been able to get over is: what do you do with the trash that's already here?
There's a big difference between choosing to be more sustainable from now on and trying to clean up the damage that's already been done&mdash;and there's been a lot of damage. For Preston, the goal is a compound of both. "In my book, less is more, less is better and circularity is cool. Each invitation for my [Fall/Winter 2023] show was reclaimed from the streets of NYC. If discarded, they will be returned to where they came from. If kept, then we&rsquo;ve managed to turn trash into treasure. Either way, it&rsquo;s a win!"
As for those L.E.D practices, the actual collection provides a clearer picture of exactly what those are. In collaboration with the New York City Department of Sanitation, Preston's designs are eco-friendly streetwear inspired by the timelessness of the Big Apple. But amid the faux fur jackets and workwear ensembles, there's an implementation of more industrial fabric innovations like Tyvek foam-padded suits and closures made of repurposed tarp, while outerwear pieces are created out of&nbsp;recycled nylon, another element of Preston's sustainability mission.

Heron Preston Turns Trash Into Treasure For Fall/Winter 2023

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Heron Preston Turns Trash Into Treasure For Fall/Winter 2023

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