Iconic tweed and button details. Celebratory sequin enhancements. Elegant and timeless knits. Pantsuits that smile with easy confidence. All were staples of the St John Fall ‘23 and Resort ‘24 line that opened Denver Fashion Week yesterday. Hosted by 9News’ Erica Lopez, and featuring a historic first performance by the the Colorado Ballet Academy, the audience was not disappointed by what was presented.
READ: Denver Fashion Week’s Star-Studded Host Lineup
Showing 70 looks between the two collections, St John stayed true to their identity of clean and impeccable details in their Ready to Wear Collections. This season showed intriguing additions to the details of the ensembles, incorporating sleek sheer panel details, contrasting trim, and the iconic buttoned look to give the sophisticated, elegant ease of a woman who is comfortable and confident in herself.
The collections were inspired by vintage pieces from its conception in 1962 by Robert and Marie Gray, an homage to their Southern California heritage. St John’s Erico Chiarparin, Executive Vice President of Design, joined the team in 2022 with the intention of redesigning their foundational line. The Fall ‘23 and Resort ‘24 lines show ease with a lineup of knit sets, tweed skirt suits, crisp denim and trousers, and a variety of gowns.
READ: ST JOHN Takes the Ready to Wear Runway at Denver Fashion Week
The Fall line showed what we all hope to do in the autumn months — stunning cool and warm toned neutrals, and classic silhouetted jackets that held interest with the audience with their surprising details.
Taking inspiration from the past, we saw a classic cream and black patterned dress paired with a sheer black trim that honored St John’s beginning but enhanced the look with a modern twist. Similarly, the brand crafted a gray speckled dress and jacket duo with brown leather trim for an upscale in visual interest. St John showed a number of cheetah animal print dresses and jackets in a variety of fabrics — from knitwear to silk to leather — that demanded attention on the runway.
The Ready to Wear fall line included a variety of pants for consumers including mid-wash denim, tan cargo pants, white flared trousers, and a clean-cut straight pants. No fall collection is complete without a pop of color, and the fall line presented ensembles in shades of violet, scarlet, magenta, tea green, and soft lilac.
The Resort line opened with a sky blue tweed belted suit dress, with stunning gold detailing down the front. Featuring tones of bright and mustard yellow, coral and muted teal, the line also presented blue snakeskin and sequins in their designs.
The collection showed cream and tan skirt suits and cropped button jackets, and a variety of black gowns with sequin, sheer, and ruched detailing. In a variety of silhouettes, St John stacked the runway with a diverse lineup that can speak to every woman.
Standouts from the Ready to Wear Resort ‘24 line included a muted teal long sleeve jumpsuit with large breast pockets and a matching belt. With sharp shoulders and a crisp collared neckline, the ensemble was paired with black pointed-toe stilettos and a mauve lip. The Resort Line also featured a cyan leather skirt with gold embellishments, and sheer pleated panels that was especially memorable.
All ensembles were paired with an assortment of black and brown thigh high boots, black and nude stilettos, and strappy black and brown heels.
The models walked with easeful long steps to channel the iconic confident American woman essence to an upbeat remix of “Aint No Sunshine” by Eva Cassidy. Makeup and hair, done by The Look Salon, were kept simple with hair down and swept back and several ensembles featured a bold red lip to further the quintessential St John image.
With a worldwide presence, the iconic luxury women’s brand has shown at Fashion Weeks around the globe — most notably in New York and Milan. This begged the question, why Denver Fashion Week this season?
“We have such a big presence in Denver. We’ve been here for almost 30 years.” St John Retail Events Manager, Dachelle Boehm said.
Barbara Ursetta, the lead stylist at the Cherry Creek St John atelier, said she hoped that women feel beautiful, elegant and confident when wearing the collection.
Since Ursetta’s opening of the atelier in Cherry Creek in the early ‘90s, St John has been cultivating relationships with Coloradans and making themselves a foundational part of the luxury community in Denver. “Denver just feels like home.”
“We want the collection to speak to them (the audience). We want them to think oh my mom would love this dress but I love this dress, and I could see my little sister in it,” Boehm said. “The collection focuses on generational dressing and we hope the audience connects with that.”
With a collection that spans every single part of your lifestyle, St John presented a collection that can be worn every day, for the evening and for business.
The night included performances from the Colorado Ballet Academy, a first in Denver Fashion Week History.
READ: Denver Fashion Week Collaborates with Colorado Ballet for the First Time
Denver Fashion Week continues tonight with the Southwest Hair Styling Awards, and through the week and weekend.
Photos by Adam Ripplinger and Lily Fox