It’s hard to believe that Denver designer Tyne Hall didn’t study fashion design in college. After showing at Denver Fashion Weekend for only two seasons, her amazing construction skills have caught the attention of show goers. Her fun themes are also a stand out element of her design, bringing to the runway a cohesive element each season. This spring DFW season, the designer found inspiration in the glamorous looks of the Disco era. Her collection was consistent of ruffles dresses and long jumpsuits with glitter as the main ingredient.

Hoping to eventually showcase her designs at New York Fashion week, Hall finds inspiration in just about anything from song lyrics to fashion designer Alexander McQueen. Though her works are fairly new to the Denver scene, we can’t help but feel as if Hall will be showing in New York sooner rather than later. So we sat down with the Denver native to discuss her style inspiration and the Denver fashion scene.

Hall at DFW Spring 2017 – Image by Austin Cope

303 Magazine: First off, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and your connection to fashion? 

Tyne Hall: I certainly have fashion memories here and there as a kid but it really wasn’t until I got into high school that I started finding my appreciation for fashion. I’m actually a very quiet and introverted person, so fashion was my way of communicating without having to speak. Little did I know, glittered stilettos, fur scarves and dresses happened to be great conversation pieces; so I was always nervously, palms sweating, fielding questions about shopping, my ability to stand in heels all day or my favorite stores. I did some designing in high school but I didn’t start teaching myself to sew until I went to college and joined a fashion student group. After I graduated from college (there is often a confused response when people learn that my degree is in history and not fashion) I continued to design and develop myself as a designer. I have since presented collections for Red Ball (three years) and DFW (two seasons).

303: Tell us a bit about your design process and where you draw inspirations from?

TH: I can draw inspiration for a collection from just about anything. I may read a quote, hear a song lyric or watch a documentary and create an entire story from that. It all really depends on my visceral reaction; did I have an emotional connection to what I experienced?

I’ve found Pinterest to be an excellent way to create mood boards — it definitely makes life easier at the fabric store. Once I have my theme and begin to sketch, music becomes very central to my design process. I find music to be this incredible, visceral art form that really allows me to become less inhibited. I have been at concerts, head banging, horns in the air (did I mention I was a metal head?) and I suddenly have an idea for a dress or a jacket. My latest collection was entirely inspired by Marilyn Manson’s Mechanical Animals album.

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303: Who are your style inspirations and why?

TH: STACY LONDON! I have loved her style since I first saw her on What Not to Wear many, many years ago. I remember being in high school and sitting down every Friday night glued to the television watching What Not to Wear, practically taking notes. She always has this effortless balance of soft and edgy which is something I love in both my personal style and my design aesthetic.

303:  Who are your favorite designers and why? Are there any collections are you currently coveting?

TH: My favorite fashion designer is Alexander McQueen. I think what had always drawn me to McQueen’s work was his total abandonment of social norms and how he was never afraid of making something ugly. Saying that always makes me laugh, but I think that this desire to please keeps many designers, including me at times, in a box.

McQueen didn’t harbor that fear and as a result, he created works of art that truly empowered the women lucky enough to wear his work. I would be remiss if I did not mention Valentino and Givenchy as designers/brands I also love. While I keep an eye on current collections, I wouldn’t say I invest a lot of time, particularly when I’m designing, viewing other’s work simply because I don’t want to be so heavily influenced by another designer.

303: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

TH: Whoa, good question! I struggle deciding what I’m going to do in the next 10 minutes let alone 10 years. All jokes aside, I think right now I’m focused on building that foundation to my brand and building a strong following. Within 10 years, my goal is to have my designs featured in boutiques and e-commerce and presenting at New York Fashion week. I am still evolving, so I’m very excited about the journey going forward.

303: What is your take on the current Denver fashion scene? What would you like to see more of?

TH: The Denver fashion scene has really grown and I think that there is a level of professionalism that has risen since I first started exploring the fashion scene here. I’m a Denver native so it’s great to see fantastic fashion events happening in my hometown. It’s pretty obvious Denver is growing (I scream about the traffic every day) and I think as a result there will be more of a demand for local fashion. It’s very exciting. Honestly, I would love to see Denver up its game in the street fashion department. We love our casual gear in Denver, so I think it would be great to see people shed the jeans and leggings and take more risks.