H.E.R. Discusses Fall Fashion Must-Haves & Her New Ugg Collaboration

Blink and you might miss H.E.R. Earlier this year, the 22-year-old singer won two Grammy Awards ⁠— Best R&B Album and Best R&B Performance ⁠— and is preparing to release a new album this month. In addition to releasing heartfelt, soulful music, H.E.R. (an acronym for “having everything revealed”) is teaming up with some of fashion's biggest brands, including a highly anticipated collaboration between H&M and Italian couturier Giambattista Valli. Now, she's walking us through a new line with Ugg — the proprietor of perhaps the most recognizable piece of footwear on the planet — as one of the faces of their AW19 collection.

“My favorite season is fall because I love layers,” she tells Refinery29. “I love hoodies, chunky sweaters, turtlenecks, parkas — definitely army green with fur in the middle — and an all-black long trench. Uggs are an essential piece of my fall wardrobe.”

Other important pieces to the artist's wardrobe include oversized flannels and cozy scarves. But, there are some fall trends that H.E.R. says are probably past their prime. “My favorite fall trends are the timeless ones,” she explains. “I think I’m tired of over-the-knee socks with stockings and tall boots.”

So how, exactly, does the on-the-go superstar choose to wear her Ugg boots? Variety is key, she explains. “I style my Uggs in a lot of different ways,” she says. “They are easy to throw on with sweats and a hoodie. I also love all-denim looks. I definitely pair my boots most [often] with a chunky parka, some jeans, and a hoodie.”

Without a doubt, H.E.R.'s personal style errs on the relaxed side: She prefers comfort over everything. This also makes her a perfect fit for the American footwear company that singlehandedly made ultra comfy sheepskin-lined boots the shoe of the 2000s.

The brand has evolved quite in recent years — undergoing a rebranding and thinking outside the box with creative collaborations such as its collection with Moschino's Jeremy Scott. It doesn't take a branding expert to surmise that Ugg is well-positioned to take advantage of the nostalgia for all things early aughts that's currently permeating the fashion world.

“I have many special memories associated with Ugg,” H.E.R. says. “The biggest memory I have is going to Nordstrom with my mom when I was 11 years old and seeing the brown knit Uggs when they first came out. I immediately fell in love, and I knew no one else at school would have them.”

Like any tween of the era would have done at the time, she downright begged her mom to buy them. “And she did — I wore them even in the heat because I loved them so much. They were my most comfortable and cutest boots,” she recalls.

It's entirely possible that this incident went down not too long before H.E.R. — then known as Gabriella Wilson — made major waves as a 12-year-old musical prodigy on The Today Show. It was just about 10 years ago when she played a jaw-dropping cover of Alicia Keys' "No One" on the popular morning news show, which quickly drew accolades from the entertainment industry and almost certainly had a role in getting H.E.R. to where she is today.

And while that life-changing performance was more than a decade ago, H.E.R.'s style and love for the Ugg brand prove that some things stay the same. “My style has gotten more distinct and more vibrant,” she says. “It's evolved a lot, but comfort is still the biggest priority when I'm getting dressed in the morning.”