I love the idea of dressing to be the person that you want to be. I love fashion because of the individual creative freedom. – Kelly Valentine
One of the most exciting and fun things about creating Fashion Denver back in 2004, is meeting the brains behind our local fashion companies! From designers and stylists to boutique owners, we get so inspired by what FUELS these minds and hearts and gives them the courage to go out and passionately pursue their dreams!
It was so much fun walking into the new Scout Dry Goods (formerly Buffalo Exchange) on S. Broadway and being greeted by Kelly Valentine, brains behind the company! I met Kelly through her identical twin sister Anna whom I had met back in 2004. I had followed Kelly’s adventure of opening up Scout Dry Goods in Omaha and when I saw she was bringing Scout to Denver, I was thrilled!
I wanted to find out where her passion for thrifting came from, what it was like to be a twin, what inspires her… and drum roll please… the official interview!
Where did you grow up and what was life like as a child?
“Everything I ever wanted truly was just on the other side of the bottle I had clung to.”
One of the most beautiful things about social media is learning other people’s stories from people who have the courage to be vulnerable and share their pain, share their struggles, and share their victories. We recently posted our interview with photographer Darryl Miller Christensen, and through Darryl, I connected his wife Aspen, and became so enamored with her courage to share the story of her journey with alcohol.
I have many friends who struggle with alcohol but it’s become normalized somehow and their addiction has become just part of who they are. On the other hand, I have friends who have made a decision to recognize their problems with alcohol and have chosen a life of sobriety. It inspires me to learn their stories!
I truly believe that our brokenness is our message that can heal others. Thank you so much Aspen for sharing you, for sharing your story, and for being so real! Your beauty shines bright!
Where were you born and what was your childhood like?
I am a proud Denver native! Ironically, I was born at St. Joseph’s … Read more!
“It wasn’t until I became a makeup artist and model that I truly began to find my niche, and I think it’s because neither of those disciplines allows for the destructive perfectionism or self doubt that have held me back most of my life.”
– Quille Palan
I sat down with Quille Palan at Denver Fashion Week, Fall of 2019. It was my first time modeling in Denver Fashion Week (not just emceeing or attending) and I was so excited for the opportunity to be a model and be on the other side of the show than I usually am. I was a little bit nervous, but when I sat down with Quille, my nerves melted away. After learning that we had met over a decade before and in a completely different lifetime ago, I knew I wanted to get to know more about this amazingly beautiful person!
One thing that I love about this interview with Quille is the honesty. It’s so hard for us to admit what we might not be cut out to do. But oh how inspiring it is to share life’s REAL journey into discovering what we ARE meant to do!
I’m staying inspired by looking for the light at the end of the tunnel. There are aspects from a photography perspective that have certainly been suppressed due to the pandemic. Once we collectively get through this, I’m excited to take advantage of those things that I haven’t been able to do these last 9 months.
-Darryl Miller Christensen
From 2015-2020, the Fashion Denver office was inside co-share workspace, Green Spaces and it was there that I got to connect with some absolutely amazing individuals! Darryl’s desk was right around the corner from mine and when you are in close proximity to creativity, you can’t help but be inspired! I knew that Darryl was a software developer by trade, but it wasn’t until I kept seeing these amazing photos that he took, pop up on his instagram, and I knew I wanted to experience and be part of the brilliant work that Darryl does.
I pulled out some of my favorite outfits and we had one of the most fun shoots at our downtown loft. Shooting with Darryl was so much fun and it truly was a gift for my soul to have this shoot. You can see the entire shoot … Read more!
What to watch and stay inspired during this pandemic!
Amits the Coronavirus pandemic we are all spending considerably more time cozied up in our homes, so what a better way to pass the time than binge-watching some top-rated shows on fashion! Here is a list of some of the best shows on fashion to kick start your quarantine TV fest:
Description: Project Runway qualifies as a show on fashion classic with 16 full seasons. This show keeps you on the edge of your seat as it puts a group designer’s skills against each other for a chance to win everything they need to get their fashion career off and running. The competition creates a cut-throat plotline, guaranteed to keep you interested.
Description: Next in Fashion has a high rating of 85% on Rotten Tomatoes because it intrigues the audience to watch designers from all around the world compete for $250,000. As you can imagine the competition gets fierce with that amount of money on the line! The competitive nature of this show is so alluring as it represents the overall model for how the fashion industry works; … Read more!
Supporting Colorado designers since 2004 through production of fashion markets, fashion shows, and business development
