House of Hendo FAT Spring 2023
House of Hendo
Fashion Art Toronto Spring 2023
By Kendra Thompson | May 7, 2023
Photography by Jack Hathaway
House of Hendo’s Spring/Summer 2023 show at Fashion Art Toronto (FAT) was a message of heeding and hope. The preluding monologue from Funkadelic’s 1971 album “Maggot Brain,” which references knocking up mother earth, blared as a reminder of the brand’s sustainability mission. When the first model took the runway—adorned in layers of white gauzy fabrics beneath an ethereal crocheted-lace overcoat—the provocative strings of Recomposed by Max Richter: Vivaldi – The Four Seasons, 1, invited a sanguine atmosphere.
The collection was a romantic and psychedelic slumber party unbound by gender norms, fashion rules, or self-doubt. If the slouchy pants, sheer housecoats, silken sets, and roomy onesies weren’t enough to implore a pillow fight, the sleepwalking models clutching patchwork teddy bears sealed the deal. Beyond the comfy cuts, the ornate touches woven into every look, such as tiered, scalloped lace pants, fringed trim, pearl cravats, and intricate patchwork, created a visual impact that was anything but sedative. In particular, the three-part violet lace ensemble, complete with bellbottom pants, exudes “Lavender Haze,” — confirming that the entire collection would seamlessly fit into the aesthetic of Taylor Swift’s “sultry sleepless 70s fever dream” music video.
Ritcher’s Vivaldi sound in the background evoked May flowers, but the collection wasn’t restricted by climate— in fact, House of Hendo doesn’t do seasons; they do moments, a constant notion throughout their collections, or “piles,” according to founder and designer, Kelly Henderson. PILE 3: Infinite is the third iteration of a brand series aptly named after the “organized pile” of upcycled materials from which Henderson pulls to construct her garments. This reservoir consists of deadstock and vintage fabrics collected over decades and thrifted garments ripe for repurposing. “I look at them and listen to them,” said Henderson. “They speak to me, and I reorganize them in a way that makes sense.”
Henderson’s purposeful dualities, such as opulence through an elegant display of reconditioning and amenity, were all in service to her throughline of radical positivity and finding self-love through design. “This was my most real collection,” she explained. “Why would I want to do it the other way?”
COLLECTION
