Heron Preston and Formula E have announced a creative partnership aimed at shaping the future of motorsport fashion through sustainable design, performance and materials. The first look arrives at ComplexCon Los Angeles on October 3 and 4, with recycled eX-Ray materials shown alongside a GEN4 car carrying an exclusive Preston-designed livery.
Recovered Materials, Recovered Energy Heron Preston Formula E
The partnership is built on reuse. Preston turns recovered materials into design. Formula E turns recovered energy into racing performance through regenerative braking.
At its centre is eX-Ray, Preston’s concept for looking at every element of a product with “X-ray vision”, from the materials and how they are made to the people and processes behind them.
For the Formula E preview, that means recycled cotton made from pre-consumer factory off-cuts and production scraps. They are sorted, shredded and re-spun into new yarn, then developed into a heavyweight, tightly woven fabric.
“This creative partnership is about rethinking what motorsport fashion can be.”
Heron Preston
“I’ve always been interested in taking materials, processes and ideas from unexpected places and finding new ways to give them purpose,” Preston said. “Working with Formula E gives me the opportunity to bring that approach into a world where performance is everything.”
“We’re looking at how apparel can be thoughtfully designed from the material up, balancing function, quality and a more considered approach to how things are made,” he added.
Why Heron Preston and Formula E
Preston’s 2016 UNIFORM project upcycled decommissioned New York City Department of Sanitation uniforms and second-hand garments. More recently, he turned Mercedes-Benz crash-test airbags into garments that kept the material’s distinctive physical qualities.
Formula E brings the racing side. The GEN4 car is designed to be 100% recyclable or reusable, with at least 20% recycled materials across key components. Formula E is also the world’s first Global B Corp Certified sport. The GEN4 makes its racing debut in Season 13, the 2026/27 championship.
“Heron and Formula E share a curiosity about how things work and how they can be made better,” said Ellie Norman, Chief Marketing Officer at Formula E. “In racing, we push for greater performance while using energy and materials more efficiently.”
“Heron brings a complementary perspective, exploring what existing materials can become through design,” Norman said. “This partnership gives us the opportunity to develop those ideas together and apply them to the products people wear.”
The partners plan to weigh fit, fabrication, durability and end of life alongside what makes people want to wear and keep a product.
ComplexCon and What Comes Next
ComplexCon brings together communities across style, sneakers, art, music and innovation, putting the partnership in front of audiences beyond motorsport.
The installation will present garments exploring eX-Ray materials, alongside the Preston GEN4 livery.
ComplexCon is only the preview. The partners hope the wider programme will span performance, fashion, fan merchandise, accessories and products made from upcycled materials drawn from the sport, including new uses for components once their racing life is over.
“ComplexCon is the first look at that shared ambition, with the potential to build a more considered approach to motorsport fashion over time,” Norman said.
Heron Preston x Formula E will be previewed at the Los Angeles Convention Center on October 3 and 4, 2026. No product release dates or pricing have been announced.
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