Annabel Bowlen, daughter of Pat Bowlen who was the majority owner of the Denver Broncos prior to his passing in 2019, will be attending Denver Fashion Week this season. Though she has attended the renowned event for years now, this week Bowlen will be wearing pieces from several designers showcasing their collections.
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Prior to the shows, Annabel attended fittings with Menez, Velvet Papillon and Yaneth Alatorre. The designers helped her find the perfect pieces to represent their brands at each of the three nights of DFW, presented by The Green Solution and Medicine Man.
Bowlen has always had a passion for fashion. In her youth, she would show up to school in party dresses. “I loved party dresses and I would often get in trouble for going to gym class because I would not have gym shoes,” she said. “Everyone knew me as the party dress girl.”
Her involvement in fashion continued through the years. “I grew up modeling and doing runway shows as a child. I would do them for various charity events and then just local shows here in Denver. And then I started designing my own figure skating costumes when I was a competitive figure skater,” Bowlen said.
She went on to work at Free People for eight years as a stylist and eventually a selling manager. During her time at the popular bohemian chic boutique that is now a national brand, Bowlen designed photoshoots, organized wardrobe styling and photographed models as well.
Additionally, Bowlen fell in love with fashion as a result of her parents. It is no secret that her parents were fashion icons in Denver. Her dad often sported fur coats and cowboy boots while her mom wore beautiful pantsuits.
“My parents are a big fashion inspiration to me because they’re just fashion icons. They were always dressed to the nines and Denver used to be a cow town, so I like to think that they put fashion on the map in Denver because there wasn’t a lot of fashion in Colorado at the time,” she said.
Bowlen reminisced on some of her dad’s favorite designer brands like Gucci, Armani and Versace and brands that her mom loved like Dolce & Gabbana, Escada, Versace and Chanel.
“My dad was so funny, he would wear a Versace button up. Like he would totally rock that, and most men would probably not rock a Versace button up but my dad would wear it well and love it. He definitely stood out. And everyone would always comment on his cowboy boots and his suits,” she said.
To this day, most of Bowlen’s favorite pieces are those that were once her mom’s. She cherishes the designer apparel and accessories that were passed down to her. Pieces from her mom like a pink Escada pantsuit and a Roberto Cavalli leather jacket are items that she holds close to her heart.
“My mom was most known for her gowns and her pantsuits and dresses. And I think she also made it cool to wear white during every season,” she said.
Due to her parents’ influence and her love for fashion, Bowlen’s goal is to one day design her own line of leather jackets.
“I want to do leather jackets and I want to inspire some of the collections off my dad’s cowboy boots,” she said. “So eventually we’ll get there but fashion’s just been a part of me my whole life. I don’t know where it sprouted from but I’m guessing just seeing my parents get all dolled up for events and stuff growing up.”
As a frequent attendee of DFW, Bowlen is especially excited to represent the designers that she will be wearing. Through several fittings, Vinny and Saul Jimenez of Menez, Cattleya Beck of Velvet Papillon and Yaneth Alatorre helped Bowlen determine pieces that fit her style and persona.
Bowlen is also excited for DFW this season due to its immense growth. The event continues to grow each year and is a catalyst for Denver fashion. This week’s runway shows feature local designers whose brands are expanding exponentially to become known by national audiences.
“Denver Fashion Week has put fashion on the map in Denver, and so that evolving and changing atmosphere is really exciting to me,” Bowlen added. “Also I just love all the designers and I’ve seen them flourish over the years — I’ve definitely seen them grow into these amazing and talented designers.”
The Denver fashion scene itself is unique due to its diversity and eclectic variety of designers and brands. When it comes to Denver fashion, anything goes. This sense of inclusivity will be a highlight for this week’s runways shows. Bowlen has noticed this herself as a longtime Colorado resident, where Denver fashion introduced new trends and ideas to the national stage.
“We were probably the first, even before COVID existed, that made comfort and cozy a trend,” she said. “Comfort and cozy was not cool, dressing up was the thing and now comfort and cozy is a trend. So I think Denver was definitely the start of making that fashion.”
Fashion is something that will always be important to Bowlen. Therefore, attending events like DFW means the world to her.
“Fashion has just held a really special place in my heart, I think that for me, fashion is a way to show my personality and just who I am as a person,” she said. “I think that’s what’s really cool about fashion — you can express yourself.”
DFW is a three-night event on November 18, 20 and 21 held at the McNichols Civic Center. Visit the official Denver Fashion Week website for information about the schedule, tickets and more.
All photography by Roxanna Carrasco.