WS Chronicle

Rico Henderson has never been one to follow the crowd, but instead has always marched to the beat of his own drum and his clothing line, C.I.O.R. (Chaos In Our Reign), is no different.

Henderson, a full-time barber, has always had an eye for fashion and art. This is also not his first run at designing as he first began nearly a decade ago, but did not see the immediate returns he was looking for, so he chose other means of income to support his family.

“I used to do it about ten years ago, but I stopped doing it because the money wasn’t coming fast enough,” said Henderson. “I was too busy in the streets hustling and stuff like that. I didn’t want to concentrate on that then, but now I do. I like clothes and I like art, so I just combined the two.”

Henderson uses a unique tie-dye technique, combined with paints to create his one-of-a-kind apparel. He also includes messages on his clothes that are inspired by how he was feeling while making that particular item. He says he would describe his clothing line as different, abstract, unique, powerful and resilient. 

“It’s just how I am feeling that day or in that moment while I am doing it,” Henderson said about what inspires his designs. “It depends on what kind of mood I’m in or how the energy I am having that day is what I am putting into the shirt.

“Whether it be anger or happiness or whatever, it’s going on the shirt. It’s emotional for the most part.”

The clothing line Miskeen was an inspiration for Henderson. He says he prides himself on not dressing like everyone else. Originality is a big part of not only his style, but his designing as well.

“I don’t ever want to have my stuff like everyone else,” he said. “When you see my stuff, I want people to say, ‘Yeah, that’s C.I.O.R. right there.’ It’s not your everyday run-of-the-mill.  

“I am not knocking nobody that makes shirts that just press buttons on computers, because I would do that too, but I want to stand out. When you touch the shirt, you feel it, so you feel me.”

Henderson takes great pride in every one of his creations. He says the fact they are all originals and can never be exactly duplicated separates his brand from others that you will see.  

“All the shirts that I do are one of ones,” he said about his creations. “Even if I put the same sand on the shirt, or even if it’s the same color, it’s not the same shirt. It can’t be the same shirt, it’s not exactly the same. That’s what really drives me; making original stuff.

“Like I said, I want people to say that’s C.I.O.R. right there, or if you see something and it ain’t C.I.O.R., you know I influenced it, so it is what it is.”

Henderson creates every shirt by hand from scratch. It takes him anywhere from 30 minutes to nearly two hours to make a shirt, depending on the design.  

Seeing people wear and enjoy his clothing makes Henderson continue to work harder. He says it gives him the feeling to not stop this time and take his C.I.O.R. label to the highest level.

C.I.O.R. was given a big boost when Diplomat rapper Freekey Zekey wore one of Henderson’s original designs on the Drink Champs podcast hosted by N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN. Once people spotted his designs on the podcast, things began to really take off for Henderson.

Henderson has big plans for his label moving forward. He says designing the shirts and hoodies are just the first phase of what he plans to do. He wants to expand his brand to include different types of clothing.

“I want to be somewhere designing clothes somewhere for somebody, I really don’t know.” Henderson said about where he wants his clothing line to be in the next five years. “I just want people to appreciate the art and know about it.  

“It’s not even about the money, I love when people appreciate the art and put it on and really put things with it; it makes me feel good. The money will come, but I do it because people like wearing it, so I will keep making it. Before when it’s all said and done, C.I.O.R. is going to put a stamp on this fashion thing.”

To contact Henderson about creating a design or purchasing one of his shirts, you can reach him at Henderson Rico on Facebook or on Instagram a Faded Handz77.