This past week, A. Tsagas Furs and Leathers Designs showcased eye-catching bold, bright colors and patterns at the National Western Stock Show. Designer Andreas Tsagas‘s booth stayed busy throughout the past two weeks as women flocked to the coats, vests and jackets. Tsagas is known for his structured leathers and large fur coats, bringing drama to the western wear scene.
This year he focused his collection around Southwestern-inspired trends, while still incorporating his iconic 70’s taste, pulling inspiration from Rock legends like Jimi Hendrix.
The designer even offered custom alterations at his booth because he believed each piece should compliment a woman’s body. Those who work closely with Tsagas described his garments as cozy, while still being lightweight and non-restrictive.
“People in Denver are craving high-end, fashionable, one-of-a-kind Western wear pieces,” They said.
Tsagas started working with furs in his Grecian hometown at 15 years old. Surrounded by those in the fur business, it was no surprise he decided to bring some of the best furs in the world to Denver.
“I saw the beautiful blue skies, snow all over the place and the air was so clean,” He said. “I knew this is where I wanted to spend the rest of my life.”
The designer started getting more involved in Western wear when he showed his collection at the Western Design Conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. This allowed Tsagas to experiment with different styles, every year.
“Since I was little, I always wanted to design things nobody else was making, incomparable designs,” Tsagas said. “I’ve always liked fringe and unfinished leather.”
Each of his signature leather pieces is sourced, designed and handmade locally here in Denver.
“I cut everything by hand, sew everything with my own machine and try to find leather that’s completely naturally sourced,” He said.
Tsagas uses mostly lamb and deerskin in his work and prefers leather that hasn’t gone through chemical processing or dyeing to ensure each piece is breathable. However, he occasionally goes back to Greece to find extremely unique furs.
While the natural quality is what sets Tsagas’ brand apart from others, working with leather and fur can be tricky because it’s much less forgiving to potential human error.
“Once a sew or cut is made that’s it, you can’t undo it,” Tsagas said.
The leather expert said he has lots of ideas in store for next year that will surprise people. Unsurprisingly, he wants to continue participating in events that give back to the community. In June 2022, he participated in The Mainstreet Fashion Show, which raised money for Hana’s Hope — a local nonprofit that provides free and discounted wigs for women undergoing chemotherapy.
READ: The MainStreet Fashion Show Returns to Parker Next Weekend
A few months later in September, Tsagas showed a collection at Parker Fashion Week (PFW) featuring his classic large furs and unfinished leathers. PFW donated a portion of ticket proceeds to Be the Good Ones, an organization that gives back to the Douglas, Arapahoe and Elbert counties by providing various “good deeds.”
Tsagas hopes to continue his good deeds this year by guiding new and upcoming designers, “Everybody has their own time and I want to put the best of the best people together,” He said.
This type of welcoming mindset has led Tsagas to encourage new artists, “Anybody can come to me, and I’ll tell them my experience and give them advice.”
READ: Parker’s MainStreet Fashion Show Celebrated Fashion While Supporting a Good Cause
Competition in growing fashion communities like Denver demands creativity, which in Tsagas’ opinion, can bring the best out of everybody, “When I moved to Colorado 30 years ago, there was nothing in fashion. Now it’s more competitive like New York or Milan, there’s so many new artists.”
Tsagas Furs and Leathers Designs is open Monday-Saturday, from 10 a.m.- 6 p.m., located at 974 S Monaco St Pkwy, Denver, CO 80224.