Last weekend at Denver Fashion Week (DFW), seven designers were given the chance to showcase their collections at the Emerging Designers Challenge runway show. The winners of the event will present their creations in the upcoming DFW Fall season.

Two winning designers were selected on Saturday, August 20th. The first winner is DFW’s lead his producer Hailey Hodapp and his two AB Aharonian, DFW’s creative director David Rossa, and his three local designers. It was decided by a panel of six judges. Killionaire designer Mo Kisale. Tristan Bego, owner of The Common Collective.

After a selection process, seven designers were selected to present collections that best represented their work, aesthetics and overall style: Vellu, Saint Destiny, Untamed Vanity, Crio’la, Furlow, and runway winners. Kawesii and Hoohah presented their collection to a Denver audience.

Sainty Destiny was the first to appear on the runway. The “Showgirls” collection consisted of gorgeous pieces in black and white.owner Jennifer Sanfort described her design aesthetic as “dark and moody, yet feminine at the same time.” The audience enjoyed the well-composed, sexy and fit production.

Next up was Crio’la, whose collection represents the designer’s process of rebranding to create more couture pieces.owner and designer Sandra W. Lopez hails from Germany and described her work last weekend as a “peek into what’s to come.” The collection consisted of high glam pieces with textures like leather, silk and feathers.

Furlow presents a collection that challenges the typical materials designers use for runway shows.Founder carly furlow Because the looks consisted of upcycled materials, she created dresses with sunglasses, flip-flops, and even live goldfish. We make clothes out of household items and trash,” she said.

Untamed Vanity presented the audience with the most varied prints of the night. From cow prints to cheetah prints, the collection consists of glamorous streetwear that makes models feel confident, sexy and cute. “My hobby of living ‘uncontrolled’ has become a lifestyle. This collection represents encouraging a woman to feel confident and look her best.” Celesia Tornée.

A beautifully fitted silk piece, representing Kira Lehman’s work on Troy Bush and Bell, hit the runway. The collection consisted of exclusive women’s apparel made from natural bamboo her silk. Rehman explained the background behind the collection, and the two shared, “We wanted to create a hyper-her feminine line that can be worn by anyone and any body type who wants to evoke femininity.” .

All designers provided impressive work, but only two of the seven were selected to present at DFW this fall.

The jury-chosen winner, Kawesii, presents unique African designs in a collection of functional yet glamorous women’s workwear. The brand was inspired by the desire to incorporate African prints into more contemporary fashion designs.owner chloe stevens “After discovering my ancestry, I started the line and learned more about different aspects and cultures of West Africa,” she explained. will be split.

The timeless construction and extravagant prints caught the eye of the judges, who ultimately decided that Stevens’ collection was the perfect fit for DFW this fall.

To wrap up the show, the audience also voted for their favorite designer of the night. Combining the wildly popular Colorado activity with high-end fashion forms the basis of the skiwear collection.Raised in Vail, owner Anna Tedstrom He says he wants to add more playfulness and color to the “mountain wear” that he sees in town and on the slopes. After feeling a lack of fun in the hills, “I wanted to show that skiing is more fun when you wear a brightly colored jumpsuit,” explained Tedstrom.

Models wore glitter-encrusted hair and 80s-inspired outerwear looks with a subtle homage to Dolly Parton to leave the runway crowd wanting more. As such, Hoohah received the most viewer votes and continues to bring fun looks to Denver’s fashion scene this fall for DFW.

The show was full of energy as each designer explained their new business and design to an audience full of Denver locals excited about the future of DFW. There may only be two winners, but the passion of each designer is immense.

It is also necessary to recognize the hard work and talent that occurs before the show begins.

Creative challenges like these sparked excitement for Denver Fashion Week this fall. Check out the latest of his DFW events and runway shows on Denver Fashion Week’s official website.

All photography by Roxanna Carrasco.

hair

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Jax Gritton

Vicky B.

Marise Ray

May Jones

Paul Salas

Heather Christine

make up

Jordan Ariel

Joanne Smith

Donnie Terran

Nicky Rydell

Kyle Hamilton

rear lanes

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