Quinn Chakara Top

We here in the Mile-High City love our active pursuits, and, of course, we love to look stylish in the process. Now we can do just that, thanks to the opening of prAna’s fourth national store in Cherry Creek North. The nearly 3,300-square-foot store recently celebrated its grand opening with more than 200 people in attendance. The event also featured catering from Whole Foods Market, brews from Avery Brewing Company and a DJ spinning upbeat tunes. “We already have a lot of prAna customers in the area, and we have been getting requests to put a store in Denver for years,” says Tim Cherven, prAna store manager at Cherry Creek North. “The community in the area is a great fit for us. They are active, progressive, conscious about purchasing choices, and they share very similar values to us.”

One of those core values is sustainability. The company uses comfortable and functional fabrics, but also fabrics that minimize environmental impact. prAna actually was the first apparel company in the United States to use Fair Tradeproducts, and, according to Cherven, it will continue to do so. Other values include creating designs using organic cotton and recycled materials, as well as wind-power initiatives.

While prAna’s heritage is in yoga and climbing apparel, most of the company’s products also are great for any number of active pursuits (such as hiking, biking and running), as well as just hanging out or running errands. That’s because the clothing is not only comfortable, but also stylish. “We have always been known for our style, which tends to be a combination of bohemian and elegant,” Cherven says. “We have also been known for our colors and prints.”

Kara Jean

prAna offers more than 200 styles of apparel for men and women, with tops ranging from $45 to $75, bottoms ranging from $50 to $85, and women’s dresses ranging from $65 to $80. Some of Cherven’s top picks for women currently include the Quinn Chakara Top (a scoop-neck active top with a feminine silhouette and compression support, $58), the Satori Pant (a soft pant with skirt overlay, $80), and the Kara Jean (skinny-fit jeans in lightweight denim, $75). For the guys, he loves the Stretch Zion (perfect for climbing, hiking and travel thanks to the abrasion-resistant stretch nylon fabric and all-weather finish, $75), and the Sabbatical (a stylish travel shirt that can be worn during all kinds of adventures, $75). prAna also will be releasing a line of men’s and women’s outerwear this fall that can be worn both on and off the mountain. “We like to think we can bring more style to this category than currently exists,” Cherven says.

Overall, prAna aims for its stores to become town halls for the 21st century. “It’s a place where you can find the full line of prAna apparel and accessories, and also interact with your community – whether through a yoga class, a group run, a community group meeting or just taking a few moments to relax in our living room space near the front of the store,” Cherven adds.

It is through this aim that the store offers free yoga classes with fantastic teachers, classes with ambassadors (whether it’s a meditation class or a talk given by a skilled climber, such as Chris Sharma), first Friday events to help promote local art, plus local non-profit events (particularly those centered around sustainability). prAna’s flagship store is located in Boulder, with additional stores in Portland, Ore., and Santa Barbara, Calif. See? All in all, we’re very lucky that we can also now welcome such a great retailer to Denver.

Misty Milioto is affectionately known as Denver’s Fashion Gal. She covers haute trends and local designers in the Mile High City, all while keeping a close and critical eye on national trends that are currently rocking the runways and the major glossy magazines. Stay tuned for all the best in fashion that Denver has to offer.