Denver Fashion Week (DFW) is almost less than a month away, and with that comes months and months of preparation. In addition to finding a venue, hosting model auditions and casting, booking designers and hair and makeup artists — DFW also had a promotional photoshoot, and DFW Producer and Stylist Hailee Lucchesi is at the forefront.
Get your Denver Fashion Week Ready to Wear and Couture tickets here
Lucchesi is a full-time stylist who got her start at Vogue. Though she initially wanted to be a doctor, it wasn’t until she studied abroad in Paris that she found herself immersed in Parisian art, creativity and of course — fashion.
“While studying abroad there, a girlfriend of mine was working at Vogue and at the time was leaving her position as the assistant to the fashion editor,” Lucchesi said. “She was like, do you want to interview? And I said absolutely.”
After a Skype interview, she got the job and went straight from Paris to New York, where she worked in Vogue’s Times Square office for a year.
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“It was everything that you think it is; it’s the Devil Wears Prada,” Lucchesi said. “But it was the most intense, invaluable education I could ever get. My work ethic and how I speak to designers, models, editors all of that came from Vogue — I got really lucky.”
Following Vogue, she moved back home to California, where she met celebrity stylist Petra Flannery. There, she assisted Flannery in dressing celebrity clients like Sarah Paulson, Mila Kunis, Claire Danes and Zoe Saldana. While in Los Angeles (L.A), her mom and sister decided to move to Colorado when she grew homesick.
“I was on a flight with Mila Kunis and her team – she was the face of Dior at the time – and so we were going for Paris Fashion Week,” Lucchesi said. “And I was looking out the window and was like, I just really wish I was in Colorado. I remember thinking that means something. Even if I don’t know what that means, I need to follow my gut.”
After quitting what Lucchesi called her “dream job,” she moved to Colorado, noticed that Denver lacked fashion boutiques and decided to open one up with her friend. Called Hailee Grace, the boutique is located in Larimer Square to this day.
“It was amazing because I got back to my buying roots, I got back to my PR roots, I got back to my styling roots,” Lucchesi said. “It was good for a really long time, but after a while there, I was starting to feel unchallenged and uninspired — it was the same thing every day.”
In February 2020, she sold her boutique partnership, and this was also the year that the world shut down due to COVID-19. Panicked, Lucchesi decided to freelance and help local boutiques with their online commerce store. Once the world opened again, she continued freelancing.
“I do personal styling, commercials, campaigns, editorials and I write for some magazines, but I also love it because it keeps me on my toes,” Lucchesi said. “I love how I get to do something new every day.”
In addition to personal styling, Lucchesi is producing two nights of DFW for the first time — Ready to Wear and Couture. DFW Creative Director David Rossa also asked her to assist in DFW’s promotional photoshoot.
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“I’m so happy to support our community and see it thriving,” Lucchesi said. “I came from New York and L.A., and so for me to be satisfied with what I’m doing says a lot — I’m so proud of Denver, and here I am at DFW, which is almost full circle.”
Get your Denver Fashion Week tickets to Couture and Ready to Wear here