The Mile-High City was ablaze with creativity as fashion admirers, industry insiders, and curious attendees came to the stylish Jacquard Hotel Rooftop to see a spectacular show of flourishing talent. The occasion? The highly anticipated Denver Fashion Week’s Emerging Designers Challenge, in which five creative designers showcased their latest collections in the hopes of securing a coveted spot in the upcoming Denver Fashion Week fall event.
The Jacquard Hotel’s rooftop was converted into a runway of dreams against the background of a setting sun painting the Colorado sky with bright hues. This picturesque setting was ideal for rising designers to demonstrate their ability to create art and stylish creativity.
With Denver’s skyline as a dramatic background, the atmosphere was feverish as fashion enthusiasts and industry insiders took their seats, ready to see the merging of innovation and elegance.
A panel of well-known designers and previous Denver Fashion Week designers were chosen to vote for one of the evening’s winners. David Rossa, a well-known photographer and the creative director of Denver Fashion Week and 303 Magazine, was on the panel as well as fashion stylist Hailee Lucchesi, Brittany Schall, the designer and founder of La Adorna, Nikki Strickler, runway producer of DFW, Keti McKenna, designer and creator of KetiVani and finally, designer of WARMING, Ethan Christe.
Read: Meet the Judges for the 2023 DFW Designer Challenge
As the event began, the five designers prepared, each with their own distinct aesthetic, delivering a broad selection of clothing that blurred the lines between tradition and avant-garde. The designers’ different inspirations and points of view were reflected in the ensembles, which spanned from eco-conscious streetwear to sparkly ensembles.
Kyra Coates Art
The first designer to hit the runway was Kyra Coates Art and her colorful art-turned-fashion. Her designs were a nonstop rainbow glitzing down the runway — every model embraced the designs they wore. Coates creates all of her designs straight from the art she creates. Starting off as a fine art painter, she created a series of abstract giant oil paintings, and since 2020 she’s been developing this line.
“I’m so excited and everybody’s so amazing and so cool,” Coates said.“We’re all so different, and it’s going to be really interesting to see. I love being in this creative energy and I wish everybody luck.”
Anton LaRosa
The next designer and brand was Anton LaRosa who stepped out of his comfort zone and created designs purely from black and white. As the outfits hit the runway, everybody was in awe as the models embodied the elegant and modern art that was LaRosa’s dress and skirt designs. Along with the black and white theme, the designs of the dresses were both flowy and strictly square or triangle shaped — it was the perfect combination.
“I’m feeling really excited about everything and it’s such a great opportunity to be here, and I’m very thankful for that. The outfit’s I’m showing tonight are a bit out of the box and I’ve never done it before,” LaRosa said.
Jade Alchemy
The third designer of the night, Jade Alchemy, brought out a set of sparkly yet down-to-earth designs. With skirt and dress sets, the first model came out in an almost tie-dye creation, as the models went on, the audience was enticed by the colorful range of simple fabrics to sparkly ensembles drawing the eye. Alchemy is an eco-fashion artist — all of her designs are made of all-natural fibers and materials such as hemp, bamboo, cotton, and wool.
Being that she lives near farmland, all of the materials are familiar to her, and a better alternative for the environment. She dyes all of her designs with her own flowers and herbs she grows herself and tries to create rave, dance, and festival designs through her creativity. Her work can be seen on many magazine covers and even on the dancefloor at rave concerts.
“I’m super excited to be doing Denver Fashion Week, and this designers challenge,” Alchemy said. “I’m really thrilled with the designs that I brought and all of my models picked their own designs from my shop that they liked, so I’m really excited to showcase that.”
J. Lin Snider
Another designer was J. Lin Snider whose designs mesmerized the crowd. The sparkling fabrics, and colorful textures of the dresses, skirts, and ensembles, were clearly one of the most breathtaking collections of the night. The models were also able to completely embody the designs they wore, as they took the runway barefoot — something Snider asked them to do so audience members would focus only on her designs. She wanted to include both femininity and masculinity in her designs by including high collars and pantsuit-esque looks.
“I love the glitz and the glam, and it should be fun, fashion should be fun. Everybody should enjoy themselves, and I’m dying to see all these collections,” Snyder said.
OKIME KOLLECTIONS
The final designer was Emiko Okime of OKIME KOLLECTIONS. Model turned entrepreneur, Okime has been sewing since she was five and gained access to the fashion industry through modeling. Her denim patchwork turned streetwear showed off many looks including skirts, bottoms, pants, etc. She wanted to keep the tops simple and focus the artistry and attention to detail on the bottoms.
The modernity and edgy streetwear combination of Okime’s designs were eye-turning, and something never before seen on the runway. Okime also does custom designs and patchwork at the request of her clientele. All of her work is also completely thrifted and sustainable.
“I knew I wanted to release a collection this year, so I started planning for this challenge, and it’s all very exciting,” Okime said. “I’m obsessed with the whole process, it’s all been very new but so exciting.”
Winners of the Challenge
At the end of the show, the winners of the Emerging Designers Challenge were announced. The judges vote was J. Lin Snyder’s designs and the audience/people’s choice was OKIME KOLLECTIONS. Both designers will debut a full collection at the upcoming fall Denver Fashion Week shows.
Amidst the applause and camera flashes, the event was not just about fashion — it was about fostering a sense of community and support for emerging talent. Backstage, designers exchanged ideas, industry veterans offered advice, and connections were forged, exemplifying the collaborative spirit that propels the fashion world forward.
As the lights dimmed and the stars emerged overhead, the Denver Fashion Week’s Emerging Designers Challenge at the Jacquard Hotel Rooftop came to a close. However, the impact of the event reverberated beyond the night, inspiring a new generation of designers and igniting a flame of anticipation for the upcoming Denver Fashion Week where innovation, artistry, and style will once again take center stage.
All runway photos by Adam Ripplinger