Category Archives: Arts & Entertainment

Arts & Entertainment, Interviews

Interview: Armina- Bosnia, basketball, art, and life.

“We are not guaranteed another day, another smile, another dance, another tight hug, another I love you, and another goodbye. Cherish every moment and live it to the fullest.”- Armina Jusufagic

It’s so cool how a meeting over coffee can open doors into a whole new world that you could never imagine! I sat down with Armina a couple of weeks ago, connecting on some fashion things, but when the meeting was over, my mind was blown at all of the things that she has experienced in her life. I wanted to learn more! So, I did!

Where were you born and what was life like as a child? 

I was born in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina. My family and I fled to Germany in 1990 as refugees during the Yugoslavian civil war. My mother is Serbian, Orthodox and my father is Bosnian, Muslim. After the war was over we didn’t have a country to return to. We then became refugees again and came over to San Francisco in 1996. Once we settled into San Francisco I was able to pursue basketball. My focus and determination as an athlete took me to the collegiate  and professional level. I played … Read more!

Arts & Entertainment, Business Profiles, CoVid

How has COVID 19 affected the business model for local mobile boutiques?

How one fashion entrepreneur is getting through COVID. 

COVID 19 has uprooted the life of normality we all used to live in, in unimaginable ways. Every single person has had to learn how to navigate a “new normal” of life from working at home to having to wear masks to the grocery store. Each individual has had to make changes to their everyday lifestyle, but how is COVID affecting our local mobile fashion boutiques? 

In terms of business in general, COVID has switched many supply and demand chains, making some irrelevant and others prominent, usually the opposite of the business models that kept small business alive before the pandemic. Suddenly jobs are lost and the consumer economy moved from purchasing items for enjoyment, such as clothes, to boxes of masks to protect families. Boutiques are one of the most affected business models in terms of the switch in supply and demand. 

Boutiques sell goods that can be classified as “luxuries” over “necessities”. When there is a major loss in jobs, luxury business suffers the most. We spoke to Electric Dream Boutique owner Adrienne Scott-Trask,  a Denver based boutique that runs out of their fashion truck, on the issues they have … Read more!

Arts & Entertainment, Business Profiles, Interviews

Interview with Alex Restivo

My process in fashion comes out of doing. I don’t really have a solid idea before I start on a piece. I just start and refine and refine until something cool comes out.– Alex Restivo

I met Alex Restivo last year at DLite’s Emerging Artists Fashion Showcase that featured young up and coming talent. Alex played music while he showcased his line of clothing and I was immediately hooked. I absolutely love when people are multi-passioned and combine their passions together like this! Especially ambitious and driven young individuals.

Let’s learn more about Alex!

My earliest memories stemming around fashion had to be light up sneakers and superhero underwear. Loved that stuff as a kid it made me feel cool, I was always excited to show off stuff like that.

I remember having a Spiderman costume as kid and loving it so much. I don’t think I put very much thought into fashion when I was a kid though, it was pretty much just t-shirts and cool sneakers. An image that comes to mind off the top of my head is the 50s modern house I grew up in with its flat room, two floors, and floating staircase, stained … Read more!

A Day in the Life of Fashion Denver, Arts & Entertainment, Events, fashion camp

TRASH THE RUNWAY® RECYCLED COUTURE IS GOING VIRTUAL

FOR ITS 11th YEAR, TRASH THE RUNWAY® RECYCLED COUTURE IS GOING VIRTUAL

Trash the Runway®, traditionally a sold-out live runway show competition, is going online! Tune in on June 30TH at 7 pm MST on Boulder8TV or at  fundraisingeverywhere.com/trashtherunway for TTR virtual, which will deliver the haute-est recycled couture yet.

BOULDER, COLORADO – Every Spring, for the past ten years, young designers from around the Denver Metro Area have worked tirelessly to create stunning couture for the Trash the Runway® (TTR) fashion show and competition. There is always a range of fashion from sweeping evening gowns to whimsical leisure attire. The presentation is stunning, the young designers who attend local middle and high schools are poised perfection, and the designs themselves are made entirely of recycled and found materials. Evening gowns have been made from materials like old trampoline mats and pantsuits from discarded exercise bands. One winning garment from last year’s competition was painstakingly made from thousands of gum wrappers.

The 11th annual TTR show was scheduled to happen on March 17, 2020 at Macky Auditorium on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder, Colorado. Over 1,000 tickets had been sold and the excitement was percolating, … Read more!

A Day in the Life of Fashion Denver, Arts & Entertainment, Events, fashion, fashion camp

Vintage Barbie Clothes Review

FREE AND AN EVENT FUN FOR THE KIDDOS!

Friday, April 10th at 10am-10:45am
Where: Online at ZOOM!

We are so excited to meet up with our friends online at the Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls and Toys to bring a little Friday fun to our eyes as we review vintage Barbie clothes!

My connection with this magical little museum is my friend Wendy! We knew each other from way back in the day (Circa 2006) when we were playing kickball, seeing shows at the Hi-Dive, and I was hosting BINGO at Sputnik. She’s such a ray of sunshine! I hope you’ll tune in to watch our little program we’re going to bring you!

Brandi Shigley and Wendy LittlepageThis is us in 2010. I’m not sure where we were, but we fancy!

Now, on with the program!

A note from Wendy Littlepage, director.

Every museum has to figure out what belongs in its collection. For the Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls and Toys, that means reviewing hundreds of toys and dolls a year. We often bring in experts and community members to help us winnow down donations to items that best represent different times, styles, and ideas. We’re excited to work with Brandi Shigley and … Read more!