Denver Fashion Week (DFW) is one of the city’s largest displays of fashion. The week is full of influential designers, local boutiques, hair stylist, national brands and makeup artists. Designers and artists have been working tirelessly for months to create and bring their visions to life. There is something magical about the way a specific fabric runs down the runway or the way the light catches a sequin. This magic is not just the way a garment is made but also in the way the model wears it so 303 Magazine sat down with some of the faces of DFW who help make the week so captivating.
Howard Snooks
The Lowdown: Snooks is 69 years old and has been a model and commercial actor for two years now. Before modeling and acting, he was a psychotherapist for 45 years. He started modeling when his life was at a crossroads and he felt the need to reinvent himself. He came across a newspaper article noting that baby boomers were severely underrepresented in the industry so Snooks went for it and has been loving it ever since. For Snooks, the best part about being a part of DFW “is seeing how what looks like absolute chaos backstage transforming into a knockout procession of really interesting and cool-looking people, showcasing the best ideas of Denver’s outstanding fashion industry.”
Raquel Parsons
The Lowdown: Parsons has been modeling since her first DFW season, Fall ’17. Parsons’ interest in modeling first piqued when she was younger and had several friends who were developing their interest in photography and would do a lot of shoots together. “Denver Fashion Week is special to me because everyone involved is truly passionate about their craft. You get to meet so many wonderful people in the industry who are all there to support each other and it shows in the final product on the runway,” said Parsons.
Jordan Wright
The Lowdown: Wright is a Colorado native who has been modeling since August of 2017. He grew up watching America’s Next Top Model and the beauty and challenge of modeling hypnotized him. Even though there weren’t any men on the show, Wright loved watching these everyday people discover what modeling meant and looked like for them. Since then he realized that his continued interest and joy in modeling is because he wants young black boys and girls to see themselves and their beauty, for which he hopes he is a good representation.
Andrea Thrift
The Lowdown: Originally from Michigan, Thrift has been modeling since 2006. She has done everything from hair shows to promotions, to published photoshoots, to modeling on the runway, to acting — shes loves it all. These days, she likes helping out behind-the-scenes as well. When she is not modeling in DFW, you can usually find her backstage coordinating models with my Goldie Mae Productions owner, Julie Gallahue. The best part of being in DFW for Thrift is the community. “So many creatives getting together every season to collaborate and bring each segment of the show to life is electrifying. I always look forward to seeing and working with what I call my ‘fashion family’ when DFW rolls around, and I am extremely grateful to be a part of it,” said Thrift.
Jazmyn Kelly
The Lowdown: Kelly has been interested in modeling since she was about nine years old but never thought she had what it took to make it as far as she wanted to go with it as an official career. That all changed about two years ago and she has been pursuing it full force ever since. “The best part about being in DFW is the overall experience. From the casting to the actual production, it’s an all-around amazing time. You get to network and connect with so many different people from all different walks of life,” said Kelly.
Caitlin Badinger
The Lowdown: Badinger started modeling back in 2015 right after high school and has continued to grow since then. She was born and raised in Louisiana and moved to Colorado after she graduated high school. She first got in front of a camera to take her high school senior photos. She has always loved being under the light. This created a love for turning into a different character when on set or on the runway.
Lily Mason
The Lowdown: Mason has been modeling for one year and it has been one of the best experiences of her life. She is originally from New Jersey but was raised in Castle Rock. Modeling had always been in the back of her mind — Mason was consistently getting comments about her height and how she should give modeling a try — so one day she went for it and came to a DFW casting call and was selected by designer, Rachel Marie Hurst.