When Anthony Hendrickson debuted his menswear label M65 back in 2017, he offered a buzzy denim-focused line that aimed to bring back the coolnessof New York’s Y2K club kids (Cardi B and Lil Yachty were wearers and fans.) After taking a four year hiatus, Hendrickson revived the brand with a show at New York Fashion Week earlier today—and his expanded vision is now unisex and focused on upcycled denims, leathers, and knits. “I felt like I had a voice again,” says Hendrickson of his return to the fashion scene. “I saw the noise that everyone else was creating [in fashion], and I felt I had something to say.”
Hendrickson’s spring 2023 assortment—titled “America Lost and Found”—is a continuation of his signature aesthetic, which he describes as “luxurious nonchalance.” He crafted clothes from pieces that you could find at Goodwill—worn-in leather jackets, faded denims—but customized them to make them one-of-a-kind. The designer says he’s long had a love of upcycling garments, especially back in his high school days, so he brought back that spirit. The clothes had a Y2K slant as a result. A pair of baggy light-wash jeans, for instance, had embellishments of lace and crystals on it; A brown slip dress was slashed to be a skirt, and complete with a dainty lace trim at the slit.
The designer’s knits were another standout, done in collaboration with the Scottish artist Julie Colquitt. A fringed, multicolor cardigan was especially eye-catching when styled with a white tank top, and pink crushed-velvet trousers. The hues of said knit—red, blue, and white—was no coincidence. A major focus for the collection this season was exploring motifs of Americana. The American flag was even worn as a cape, or as a rugby sweater with jeans. It wasn’t so much a political statement as it was an attempt to project a sense of hope, the designer says, despite “national feelings of tumult and confusion.”
Hendrickson was also inspired to pay homage to his Christian faith on some of the grungier pieces. One cropped baby tee plainly featured the word Jesus on it, done in the style of the Ford logo. Some of the necklaces, done in collaboration with the fine jewelry label J’aime, read, Holy. The big, blingy belts also had a big “M” belt buckle on them—that’s M for Messiah. “I’m devoted to Jesus Christ—painted nails and all,” Hendrickson says.
