Heron Preston and Formula E are teaming on a long-term creative partnership.
The designer, known for his work with reclaimed materials, and the all-electric motorsport championship are exploring material innovation, sustainability and the future of motorsport apparel.
The collaboration will make its public debut at ComplexCon Los Angeles on Saturday and Sunday, where the designer will present a preview capsule of T-shirts, long-sleeves and hoodies made using fabrics from his eX-Ray concept, alongside a GEN4 Formula E car featuring an exclusive exterior design by Preston.
“Formula E is re-engineering what a race car can be. EX-Ray does the same for clothing,” said Preston in a statement to WWD. “It’s my concept for the brand’s most advanced L.E.D. (less environmentally destructive) products, where we examine every layer of a garment with X-ray vision, from what it’s made of to who makes it. The ‘eX’ stands for example: the benchmark the rest of the brand works toward. For Formula E, eX-Ray recycled cotton is the foundation of the collection, so the same thinking behind the car is in the clothes.”
Heron Preston and Formula E are launching a long-term creative partnership.
Courtesy of Heron Preston and Formula E
For the preview, Preston is using eX-Ray recycled cotton made from pre-consumer factory offcuts and production scraps, along with deadstock fabric from past collections. Pricing, production scale and distribution are still being explored as the partnership develops, he said.
“Looking further ahead, the longer-term vision is to explore materials recovered from the sport itself, like carbon fiber, metals and other components from the cars,” Preston added. “We haven’t started that yet, but the opportunity is to understand what those materials could become through design.”
The partnership could expand into fan merchandise, accessories and new uses for racing materials, though “the wider product roadmap is still taking shape,” Preston said.
The GEN4 car features Preston’s signature orange with chrome and matte details, along with text-based graphics highlighting features including “Zero Rare Earth Minerals” and “600kW Max Power.”
“A few years ago I took my brand back and rebuilt it around a simple idea: build things honestly,” Preston said. “Real materials, real function, no pretending. This partnership is one of the clearest expressions of that so far. It connects the upcycling work I’ve been doing for a decade with a sport that’s genuinely trying to change its industry. It feels less like a departure and more like the work growing into a bigger arena.”
Heron Preston
Courtesy of Heron Preston and Formula E
