March 26, 2018 – Fashion and excitement filled the room as airplanes surrounded the exterior of the hanger. 303 Magazine hosted the first ever Denver Fashion WEEK March 18-25th. Taking place at Wings Over the Rockies, the venue was rejuvenating and the fashion was better than ever. This monumental moment in Denver fashion only proves the progression and growth of interest in the fashion industry. Saturday, March 24th, included a few local stores and designers as well as renowned national designers from New York. These are the looks I was LIVING for!
Velvet Wolf (Denver) started off the show with simple, casual looks that could kill. I am a major fan of leather pants/leggings because of their ability to elevate an outfit with ease. You could never go wrong with a graphic tee, especially a black one. I thought the casual vibe of the opener really set the tone for the rest of the designs.
This nontraditional black trench coat had me rethinking the way I buy and wear my trenches. Kouture, a locally based designer consignment store, brought out a bangin’ piece to start out their segment. Styled with the collar up, I couldn’t get enough of this piece. I loved the black base with the cracked white wording that covered the coat in no particular pattern. Some of the words were deconstructed and put back together, smushed into one, or stretched out. I just loved that this statement coat could be an entire outfit without doing much.
Simple and elegant is the way to go with a dress like this. Starting out the national segment, designer Hogan McLaughlin showcased a beautiful piece. This milky cream color was marvelous and the perfect choice to jazz up a more understated gown. What stood out to me about McLaughlin’s designs was his use of structure. All of his pieces were carefully constructed to hold beautiful asymmetric shapes and voluminous curvature within the design. I especially loved his necklines and shoulder construction. The cutout was small and sharp, drawing attention quickly to it and then back away to the whole of the dress. I was inspired by his classy style and poised composition.
An obvious showstopper came from Manfredonia’s collection. A fleshy colored maxi gown encrusted with jewels flawlessly floated down the runway. Rhinestones of all colors twinkled under the bright lights, giving off a blinding glare. The ruched sleeves added texture and dimension to the otherwise slinky outfit. I loved the loose shape and little grab the dress had. The mid-length slit was modest but added the perfect amount of leg to the dress. Manfredonia definitely came to slay a few people with this one.
Vibrant colors closed the show off with a BAM! I was blown away with the bold colors and striking patterns that accompanied all of Xuly.Bet’s designs. My absolute favorite piece was an eye-catching golden-yellow power suit. With a matching blazer and trouser set, Xuly.Bet definitely didn’t design this outfit to blend in. Though this suit was strong, it worked so well because it was done with class. Suits have already taken 2018 by storm and won’t be going anywhere, especially due to designs like these.
WOW! That is all I can say! Seeing Denver develop into a fashion-based city brings an unexplainable amount of joy to me. Though it was an exhausting week, it sure was one for the books. I can’t wait to look back and say that I went to the very first Denver Fashion Week. Hope to see you next year, DFW.
-Sydney