The final day of Denver Fashion Week, day eight, ended the eventful week with the fabulous international designers’ collections and local boutiques of this season. Many designs are cultivated right in our backyard and inspired by international cultures. A culmination of Georgian, Italian, and London fashion, this show was the best way to wrap up the best of Denver’s fashion scene.
The beginning of the display featured three outstanding designers from Geo In Style, which was formed by Georgian-Americans Nino Walton and Nia Neilson and is a boutique that imports Georgian-inspired designs. Designer Megi Gabunia’s line, MG Gabunia, featuring futuristic, space-like patterns, was the perfect way to kick off the exhibition.
For the DFW international and local collections, the models brought a mystery spirit to the catwalk, like art on the runway, with dramatic, dark makeup looks, dark colors like black and gray, and even metallics and chains, paired with modern streetwear twist that had jaws dropping on the runway.
The buzz of excitement in the air could be felt by everyone. Walton and Neilson were excited to participate in DFW for the fourth time, “it’s a combination of emotions, to be honest, but all good and positive. Absolutely amazed by the space. They picked an amazing location.”KetiVani was the next collection to be featured, created by the lovely Keti McKenna, featuring fit and fashion-inspired styles for women. With a range from neutrals to bright tones, each look had a special quality that made it stand out. For this collection, McKenna cultivated a very traditional and ancient Georgian headpiece into many of her eyes. Timeless pieces graced the runway for KetiVani, bringing American-inspired looks with a Georgian twist.
“I am so inspired and excited. This whole collection is the most cohesive I’ve done because in terms of colors, they’re inspired by Colorado’s mountains and nature, but also with Georgia and that culture because they’re traditional pieces I’ve created all by myself,” said McKenna.
Many looks in this collection stood out, simply because of her passion for the craft of McKenna, she incorporated traditional Georgian pieces into everyday business suits and dresses for women.The next designer, Lasha Jokhadze featured his collection on the Denver runway for the first time. Jokhadze’s collection brought couture dresses to the runway, adorned with every color one could imagine. One staple feature that brought the runway to life through this collection, was the attention to detail of different accessories. Gowns and blazers that were lined with feathers or sequins, were done in a specific design that brought the looks to life.
The crowd favorites were the stunning sparkly gowns and the recognizable simple black blazer with sequins all down one shoulder. Jokhadze’s designs brought modernized couture to the Denver runway and blew everyone away with his talent.
Lasha Jokhadze Collection. Photography by Jas Kitterman.The last designer to be showcased blew the crowd away. KolchagovBarba was created by Italian and Bulgarian designers Emilio Barba and Svetoslav Kolchagov. Kolchagov has created many looks for some of the most influential fashion houses, including Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen. This specific collection, “Dame” was an ode to the women of society. With stunning gowns that shimmered on the runway, to flowy, colorful ensembles, KolchagovBarba brought elegance and class to the runway. “Dame is a title that is given in the UK to a woman that excels in her field, and we believe that women today succeed in everything they do, this is to be recognized. And we want to use fashion to empower women to continue that in society,” said Barba.
This portion of the show started off with a fantastic display of art from street artist, Chris Evans. The first piece to grace the runway was a white gown spray painted live on the runway, inspired by the streets of Denver street art, and as a hidden homage to Westwood herself.
One of the pieces that stuck out on the runway was a beautiful black hourglass gown, that molded to the model like it was made for them. The models walked with a slow elegance that brought style and grace to the runway and delivered the “Dame” message to the audience.
“You know it doesn’t matter how many times you’ve done the show, it’s always very exciting because you want the audience to see the message you want to give in the collection,” said Barba.
Denver Fashion Week concluded with a celebration of both local and international fashion, displaying the best of the fashion industry. It was a week of creativity, innovation, and diversity that showcased the skill and the uniqueness of Denver’s fashion scene. As the event came to a close, it was obvious that Denver Fashion Week had once again proven itself as a must-see event for fashion lovers worldwide.