On Thursday night my fellow Denverlites and I did what we do best and braved the snow in the name of fashion. It was a complete whiteout outside, making a perfect platform for the whiteout that would ensue inside of the McNichols Building.
Our night started just as any good night should – with a toast of champagne and good company. The second annual Westword Whiteout benefitted the American Transplant Foundation and was not only a chance for us to support the incredible Denver fashion scene, but it was also a time for us to celebrate our very own Brandi Shigley whose designs would be featured in the fashion show. Cheers to that!
We arrived at the McNichols Building with snowflake accessories in our hair from the winter wonderland that was outside. The doors opened to a bustling scene of well-dressed attendees, specialty cocktails, delicious bites, and bumping music. We socialized with designers, chatted with stylists, snapped a few pictures and scoped out the elite fashion as we walked through the posh event.
Once it was nearing 9 pm we made our way to our seats and eagerly waited for the start of the fashion show. I have to admit, I had read Jenny Baker-Strasburg’s, (the producer and creative director of Westword Whiteout) bio prior to this event, and was anxious and excited to see what she had up her sleeve – turns out she had a sexy Burlesque perfomance by Cora Vette and the Vavaettes up her sleeve to start the show – and let’s just say from that moment on I knew that Jenny had high standards set for the night.
The Burlesque dancers were dressed in all white, which was fitting for the opening performance at the Westword Whiteout. By the end of the performance the Burlesque beauties stripped down to their skivvies – letting it be known that Denver has arrived and isn’t afraid to push any boundaries.
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KITTY MAE MILLINERY & TRUE LOVE
First up in the Fashion Show were two of Denver’s favorites – Kitty Mae Millinery and True Love. Anyone who knows me knows that I have an obsession with big fashionable hats and shoes, so this combination on the runway spoke strait to my well-styled soul. The models were dressed in black cocktail dresses and leggings to highlight the exquisite hats by Kitty Mae Millinery and the lust worthy pumps by True Love that made their way down the white runway.
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B.SHIGLEY DESIGNS, PLUM SAGE FLOWERS & TRUE LOVE
Next up was my favorite designer, (I’m sorry if I am a little biased) Brandi Shigley, with her B.Shigley designs. Brandi Shigley is a semi-retired handbag designer and Denver’s notorious dreamer/doer. Brandi’s famous handbags were paired with gorgeous flowers from Plum Sage Flowers and were held by the beautiful Wilhelmina models. The models rocked Brandi’s Do What You Love T-Shirts that were made into trendy crop tops. The outfits were finished off with black leggings and pumps from True Love. Fashion Denver’s founder, Brandi Shigley, without a doubt lit up the stage with her contagiously happy personality.
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AKOMPLICE & TRUE LOVE
Next up was Akomplice. I was lucky enough to meet a couple of the faces behind this notarized clothing line at the Westword Whiteout after party and can’t speak highly enough of them. Akomplice is an innovative clothing line that pushes boundaries with their innovative style and designs. My three favorite looks included, first, a male model wearing teal blue pants paired with a stylish zip up jacket from their Magic Plant collection that can be found here. My second favorite look was worn by one of the gorgeous Wilhelmina models who was dressed in an animal print tee with a leopard’s face splashed across the front; paired with tight black shorts, leg warmers and pumps –> I need this outfit. And lastly the basic black tee with a flamingo on it paired with a slouchy black beanie. There is something so effortlessly stylish about this brand!
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AKOMPLICE & TRUE LOVE
Next in line was Common Era. Common Era featured two pairs of awesome pants that I would wear in a heartbeat – the first pair were blue, wide-legged pants paired with a white tee – the second pair were patterned harem pants combined with a black crop top. Common era also featured looks that I found fitting for the sophisticated, yet stylish woman. One of the looks included a black dress, belted under a red blazer. Another chic look included a white sleeveless dress with an embellished neckline.
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MONA LUCERO
Mona Lucero is a common name here in Denver and was the next designer in the Westword Whiteout lineup. I got a sneak peak of her looks at the Westword Whiteout fitting a couple weeks ago and couldn’t wait for her to show them off on stage. Combine edgy, sporty, and fashion and you have Mona’s theme for this years Whiteout. Models showed off jersey inspired dresses with large numbers and lighting bolts. The male models wore embellished button ups, scarves and were completed with black pants. All of the models wore large statement sunglasses that brought the perfect amount of edge to the black and red looks.
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EQUILLIBRIUM
Next up on the list was Equillibrium who is known for their exceptionally edgy street style. Equillibrium was the rockstar of the Westword Whiteout bringing patchwork, studs, suspenders, and mixed patterns together in perfect harmony. My favorite look included sequin pants and a long black tee that spoke strait to my edgy alter ego. Seriously, I don’t know anyone else who can take the glitz of glitter and the grunge of an edgy black tee and make such a cohesive look. Equillibrium never ever disappoints.
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GOLDYN
Goldyn was next on the lineup and brought high fashion glam to Denver. The first look featured an overstated fur coat on top of a slinky, floor-lengthed, grey dress that was the epitome of luxe. With the exception of one sleeveless red dress with gold accents, all of the looks were comprised of lots of black and grey hues. Goldyn and I think alike – black will always be the new black and it is ultra chic. The men wore jackets over striped shirts with black pants and beanies, while the women looked stylish in black leather leggings as well as short and floor-length black dresses.
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D’LOLA COUTURE
D’Lola. D’Lola. D’lola. Where do I start? D’Lola Couture is the designer I look forward to most in every show. Deedee Vicory, the mastermind behind D’Lola Couture, has done it many times before and did it once again at the Westword Whiteout 2014. Her wedding gowns would make even the most anti-marriage woman daydream about wearing these showstoppers. Lace, ruffles, tulle, satin, and the finest embroidering were only a few of the details that made these gowns so exquisite. The real showstopper and the most memorable moment of the entire show was the finale gown that graced the runway. I can say that this gown literally left the entire building speechless. With a train fit for royalty, a delicate floor-length and airy veil, and a mid waist diamond embroidered belt, this body-conscious gown was head-to-toe perfection. There are no words that live up to the beauty of this dress.
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The after party was held at Chlóe, the ritzy downtown club on Denver’s famous Market Street. The after party carried on well into the night where Denver’s fashion elite said cheers to yet another fabulous Westword Whiteout.
The D’Lola finale dress was dedicated to the designer’s husband, Justin Vicory, who has been diagnosed with Melanoma. Deedee and Justin have given so much to our Denver community and I adore them to no end. If you would like to know how you could help this incredible family and their fight against cancer, click here.
To view the official Westword Whiteout photos from the fashion show click here.
To view the official Westword Whiteout photos from the after party at Chlóe click here.