“The Drip,” a fashion show hosted by Adrian Quintana’s brand, Foolish & Coolish, was one of many exciting events combining nightlife and fashion in Denver on September 23. However, this runway was unlike most others in its setting, crowd and impact on the community.
Foolish & Coolish was created by Quintana in early 2022 after she and a friend went out at night and noticed a lack of representation for BIPOC and LGBTQ+IA in the local nightlife. Hosting events has always come naturally to Quintana, as she commonly plans parties and gatherings for friends and family. So when the idea for Foolish & Coolish started to evolve, she had no trouble completely immersing herself in the project.
“It was something that I had really wanted to do for a long time,” Quintana said. “That’s just how it started, just wanting to create representation and nightlife in Denver.”
The brand serves as a way for underrepresented creatives in the community to connect and have their voices heard through social events. Since BIPOC and LGBTQ+IA individuals have experienced less time in the spotlight, Foolish & Coolish is Quintana’s solution to including this community as critical players in Denver’s nightlife scene. To do this, Quintana has taken the approach of hosting music, fashion and art events in the Denver area.
“I know intuitively who I am as a brand, I’m still building some of that,” Quintana said. “Being connected to the creative community is so important to me, and so you’re always going to see and feel that artsy, creative vibe for sure.”
Foolish & Coolish’s first event, “Y2K Wonderland,” was held earlier this year in March at Scorpio Palace. The event featured local DJs spinning tracks from the 2000s and encouraged attendees to dress in their best fashion of the era. Featured vendors included Lost Ailes Femme, SomeMoreVintage and Day Off. Following this event, Quintana hosted a brunch party at The Common Collective as well as a nail tech party, making “The Drip” her fourth event and first fashion show. The show was hosted by River Bar and Gallery in RiNo, a local art bar, gallery and venue for events.
“The Drip” consisted of five local vendors and designers: Be You Waist Beads, Secondhand Homie, Chuck Winfield Clothing, Favor by Rome Clothing and Ego Death. All brought their own unique look to the runway with a diverse group of models to represent them. The designers were all hand-picked by Quintana for the show.
“It’s very intuitive. Just people that I like, people that I feel like are doing really great and important work in Denver,” Quintana said.
Be You Waist Beads was the first to take the runway. The brand is owned by Denver native, Chontavia, who is also the founder of Be You Wellness. She creates her own waist beads as a way for women to grow in appreciation for their bodies, exactly as they are, curves and all.
Chuck Winfield Clothing was the next to take the floor with his signature rugby shirts. Winfield established his brand in 2020 and since then, has developed a collection of staple streetwear pieces embellished with his last name.
Favor by Rome Clothing follows with more creative streetwear. They’re not only a brand but a fashion and art gallery in the Sunnyside area of Denver.
Ego Death is a brand heavily connected to the skate community, with its streetwear embellished with its logo on the front.
Secondhand Homie closed out the show with their first-ever runway show. The designer, Cruz Mendoza, aims to forget the rules of fashion for those who are happy to express themselves through clothing.
The goal of the runway is to encourage the community to shop with the local, underrepresented designers in the Denver area, rather than bringing money elsewhere. Following the show was the after-party, where guests could get drinks and food while being able to shop the designer’s work in an outdoor space behind the bar.
“A big part of this fashion show is giving people an opportunity to see designers and vendors that are already here in our community doing work,” Quintana said. “I think it’s so important to go into your own community so that we can just keep flourishing and keep prospering.”
To learn more about Foolish & Coolish and keep up to date with their upcoming events, visit their website and Instagram.