This high-bar event continues to grow and delight the fashion community
By Hailee Lucchesi
Photos courtesy of Denver Fashion Week
It is hard to comprehend that Denver Fashion Week (DFW) has grown from a weekend show to a bi-annual, seven-day production showcasing worldwide talent in just over a decade. The Aharonian family worked primarily in events with 303 Magazine when they decided to dip their toes in the fashion industry with a hair show in 2010. Back then, they termed the event Denver Fashion Weekend, intending to drop the “end” when it became established enough to produce more than just one night on the weekend.
The show quickly built a reputation, landing the iconic Betsy Johnson to showcase her line for an entire night in 2011. Shortly after, the Denver-born “Project Runway All Stars” winner, Mondo Guerra, showcased his marvelous collections in his hometown before and after his big win on national television.
During the Fall 2023 show, on couture night, 8-year-old child protégé designer Max Alexander showed his first-ever runway collection. The crowd was quite confused when they saw a young boy—hand-in-hand with his mother—walking behind ten models as they did their final walk.
New York founded; Denver–based designer Guillermo Pharis runs a bridal atelier in the heart of downtown Denver. Pharis also showed up in the fall of 2023, closing the show with his first-ever evening wear collection that concluded with a robust standing ovation from the audience. It is no wonder that Forbes named DFW one of “the fastest-growing fashion platforms in America.”
The Aharonian family credits the cultural partnership with Denver Arts and Venues as pivotal to the show’s growth. This partnership was crucial for helping curate an entire week of shows. The Aharonian family says, “They understood the immense amount of talent amongst our community. From models, producers, designers, hair and makeup artists, and helping source outstanding venues, they were crucial in our success.”
Finding the perfect venue is not an easy feat. DFW equates it as one of its biggest challenges each year. The team needs an incredibly precise checklist to pull off such an affair. The venue must host up to 1,000 guests, have space to build a cocktail lounge and have a backstage area for designers, models, and hair and makeup, as well as room for pop-up shops for vendors. Not to mention that the event requires the use of the space for up to ten days for the show a few days before and after for preparation and teardown.
What initially ignited the ethos for the show is still what makes the founding family excited for its future. “We feel very fortunate to be an organization supporting the fashion industry and watching it grow and thrive,” they say. “To be able to showcase extraordinary talent and bring national and international designers is just incredible. We are also profoundly proud to be able to support the economy of Denver.”
When launching, they would have 100 to 150 models at the castings for designers to choose from to walk in their collections. Now, more than 1,200 models attend the casting. “It is just amazing to see,” the family says. “Some models who walk in the show end up getting signed with major agencies and go on to walk in fashion shows all over the world.” Jessica Baumann and Emily Rose Turner started their careers at Denver Fashion Week and graced the runways of Paris Fashion Week only a few short years later. Even the behind-the-scenes team has evolved with exceptional form. Lead producer Nikki Strickler started with DFW as a model in 2013 and now produces seven out of the eight nights.
Denver Fashion Week hosts an important event each year to allow upcoming designers to show their talents during its Designer Challenge. It’s a night of fashion where fresh faces compete in front of a panel of judges and a live audience for a chance to unveil their collections during the big bi-annual fashion show. It’s a remarkable and vital event that gives these skilled individuals a platform to shine that they may not have otherwise.
With the Fall 2024 show just around the corner, November 9–17, DFW continues to make each season better and better. While the lineup has not yet been released (at press time), we know the organization plans to continue pushing and standing by its mission statement. “DFW is rooted in inclusivity, support and empowerment for all talents, regardless of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, height, body type or age,” the Aharonian family says. “We are dedicated to fostering economic growth within Colorado’s fashion and design communities, increasing visibility for our runway participants and sponsors, and curating an unparalleled fashion experience that sets the standard in Denver.”
Denver Fashion Week
denverfashionweek.com
