The Fashion Weekend Denver Needed

What You Missed at Color of Fashion Night 2

Color of Fashion transformed Denver Union Station into a captivating scene this past weekend, celebrating divine construction, streetwear and culture. 

Onlookers watched in awe as models walked through the iconic transportation hub. While those involved in the fashion community were in attendance of course, Color of Fashion Night 2, Bon Voyage, successfully introduced high fashion to one of Denver’s most visited attractions right in the heart of downtown. 

Founded by Alicia Myers and Samantha Joseph, Color of Fashion strives to uplift the Denver fashion community and beyond by diversifying the representation of designers, models, hair and makeup artists and more. Each season exceeds the last, and the nonprofit organization consistently partners with the community by incorporating iconic venues, sponsors and experiences in the annual runway shows. 

This season, Color of Fashion implemented several opportunities for those directly involved to get to know each other, including a mixer on August 19 for models, press, hair and makeup artists and designers to meet prior to the shows. Their work in prioritizing diverse representation has developed into a community that is paving the way for much-needed change. Few productions that are the size and magnitude of Color of Fashion focus on the well-being of their models and MUAs like Joseph and Myers do. As models themselves, they are hyper-vigilant in fostering an environment where creativity can flourish, and where those involved feel taken care of as well. 

Runway shows are an opportunity for clothes to come to life. Like artists specializing in other mediums, designers gain inspiration from experiences and their environment. When their looks grace the runway, the story behind the design comes alive, and the meaning behind a collection is unveiled. Here in Denver, the stories behind our fashion are what sets us apart from other cities better known for their fashion scenes. We prioritize sustainability. We are creative. We believe in the power of collectivity. We are supportive. And with Color of Fashion at the forefront, we are inclusive. 

Even better, the general public could see the leaps and bounds that Color of Fashion has made as it all unfolded right in the center of the city’s train station.

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In what was arguably one of the most beautiful collections to grace a Denver runway, AlturA kicked off the night extravagantly. The collection featured rich colors, elegant materials like velour, satin and more, as well as defined shapes. The looks were historically driven with Spanish silhouettes and features, including breastplates, drapery and luxurious accents. 

AlturA is founded on the expertise of Amaris and Alejandro Gaeta. The two designers combined forces and in their debut, created a mythological yet futuristic collection unlike anything the Denver fashion scene has ever seen before. As a result, the energy from the crowd was phenomenal.

When hip-hop and R&B icon Ciara and her husband, Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson, moved to Denver, they immediately immersed themselves in the local fashion scene. With their Certified B Corp brand The House of LR&C – short for Love, Respect and Care – opened storefronts in Park Meadows Mall and now the Denver International Airport, the couple took fashion to a new level. 

For Bon Voyage, the two brands intertwined with fall-ready looks for the everyday, stylish Coloradan. Thought we left cobalt blue in 2016? Think again, because it’s back and better than ever, and Lita by Ciara proved it with a stunning fur jacket and striking pleather pants. Both brands brought elevated basics to the runway to introduce classic fall favorites as the weather is changing. The combined womenswear from Lita by Ciara and menswear from Good Man Brand looks left us wishing for the leaves to fall and the temperature to drop so we can embrace the beauty of layering and outerwear. 

The celebrity couple is taking the fashion community by storm as a Certified B Corp brand, focused on sustainability in all of their processes. While the Park Meadows location is closing a year after it opened, the space had opted to make do with the bones of the brand that was in the store previously, rather than renovate the space. This location prioritizes the planet as much as the new location at Denver International Airport will, using recyclable hangers, compostable bags, sustainable materials and more.

Those familiar with local fashion designer Tyne Hall can spot her iconic horror-themed gowns from a mile away. For Color of Fashion Season 3, Hall embraced her versatility as a designer and partnered with returning Color of Fashion designer Saint Muze. Based in Amsterdam, Saint Muze focuses on ethically handmade upcycled vintage streetwear. 

The collaborative collection merged streetwear with elegance. With upcycled jerseys and a hip-hop essence, this was every Gen-Z’s dream come true. The looks were certainly not trying to fit a mold yet defined expressing a unique take on fashion while staying on trend. It’s as if we were digging through our cool auntie’s and big brother’s closets and finding ways to combine both of the best finds. 

The high energy of the guests and the onlookers in Union Station made for an upbeat and fun runway segment, where Saint Muze and Tyne Hall’s differing styles were playing for the same team.

With Color of Fashion’s ultimate mission to bring diverse representation to the Denver fashion community, the final runway segment by Zayden Drape de Luxe was a celebration of modern fashion along with Black beauty and culture. 

Raised in Chicago by his family of strong women, Zayden graduated from Savannah College of Art and Design as the only Black man in his class to earn the highest degree of fashion honors, the MFA. Prior to his time at the university, he was homeless, but he quickly became an iconic name in the fashion scene, with features in Vogue, Vogue Italia, Teen Vogue, Elle, Atlanta Magazine, Essence and WWD. 

The collection on display in Denver debuted at SCAD in 2019, called “Avant Oppidan”: The Misrepresentation of Black Designers in the Fashion Industry. Through the colorful, expertly-constructed, vibrant and captivating looks, Zayden addressed the history and struggles of Black people while making a statement on how few Black fashion designers committed to their craft exist in his experience. 

The looks combined an essence of 70s futuristic flair with bright accessories and fun silhouettes. Throughout his portion of the show, Zayden prioritized having all Black models showcase his beautiful designs. Each model wore hairstyles significant to Black culture through an array of braided hairstyles and Bantu Knots. While the looks were fun with the colors and accessories that Zayden used as the foundation of the collection, we could feel the power that the collection exuded based on the meaning and message behind his work. “Avant Oppidan” was written on belts, tying together the collection.

Zayden’s runway segment was the perfect finale to the fashion weekend that Denver needed, proving that Color of Fashion finds and collaborates with trailblazers who are taking the industry by storm. 

As tourists stumbled upon a fashion show right in the middle of boarding their trains to their next destination that evening, one thing is certain: they will never forget what they experienced in Denver. It was truly the weekend that the Denver fashion community needed.

Photography by Roxanna Carrasco.