Designer Arianne Burback knows a thing or two about sustainable fashion, having been in the business for two years. Now, she’s taking her brand, Garms 1 of 1, to the next level.
The 20-year-old is currently working on a 16-look collection for Denver Fashion Week (DFW) Spring ’24. Although this is Burback’s first formal fashion week — don’t expect mediocrity. She said she’s coming to Colorado with her best work yet.
Purchase DFW sustainable tickets here.
“I’m undergoing a totally transformative process with my creativity and I think that the turn that I’ve taken in designing this has been one of the greatest things I’ve ever experienced in my career thus far,” Burback shared. “It’s different from what I’m normally posting and from what my supporters are used to, but I’m really excited to get it out there and make it a thing.”
Burback admitted that preparing for DFW has had its challenges. She’s never done a show with this many looks and the pressure is high, but her drive is greater.
“I’m just beyond excited to almost rebirth my brand,” she said.
Burback’s favorite piece she’s ever made will be revealed at DFW.
“I’ve used a form of sewing that’s called appliqué,” she said. “I take these little shapes that I cut out of fabric and I sew them onto a pre-existing pair of pants that are sourced secondhand. The picture that it paints on, there’s one on each side of the jeans, makes lips with teeth and there’s like a grill, so like tooth gems and different things.”
At her model casting in February, Burback met a model with tooth gems — this inspired her DFW design.
Burback hopes her collection ignites conversations about sustainable fashion.
“My collection is based on a feeling of identity,” she said. “And so I take the 1 of 1, each piece is made 1 of 1, and I kind of play on that. The message that I’m trying to get across to the audience is that you are 1 of 1, your identity is 1 of 1, this Earth is 1 of 1, and we should take care of it.”
Growing Garms 1 of 1
Burback got into fashion thanks to thrifting. Most of the clothes she thrifted didn’t fit well, so she began altering the pieces herself.
“Eventually that blossomed into making my own clothes and making clothes for other people,” she said. “It was a really good outlet for me to be creative. And, of course, I did all kinds of different art, painting and drawing, and things like that. But this was by far my favorite outlet and the way that I could express myself.”
Thus, Garms 1 of 1 was born.
The term “Garms,” was inspired by UK slang. There, clothes are called “garments,” or “garms” for short. “1 of 1” refers to how each piece Burback makes is one of a kind.
Since February 2023, Burback has posted “Garms Sunday” videos every Sunday on TikTok. She films her creative process, such as idea brainstorming and sewing, then reveals her work.
“I think that it’s a really unique way to show kind of the process of how I make things and for people to understand what I’m doing and how much time goes into each piece,” she said.
Small Town Girl Turned Designer
Another factor that contributed to Burback starting her brand was the strive to stand out from Wyoming’s typical fashion scene.
“I wasn’t finding the clothes that I wanted to wear. So it was kind of like, ‘OK, well, I’ll just make it,’” she said. “Growing up in Wyoming, everybody kind of dresses the same here and it’s been the same forever.”
Burback doesn’t mind wearing the loudest clothes in the room.
“I get funny stares everywhere I go, but that’s so cool for me to be able to stand out from the crowd and be different and open people’s minds to what fashion can really be, especially working in sustainable fashion,” she continued. “It kind of just adds another level of uniqueness because I’m not starting from scratch, but I’m taking something that’s already been made and brought into the world and giving it a second life.”
Burback has come a long way from her first fashion show in Casper, Wyoming — her hometown. Since her debut at ART 321’s Wearables Fashion Show in April 2022, Burback has had shows in Laramie, Wyoming, Milan, and Denver.
According to Burback, the University of Wyoming’s Kaleidoscope Fashion Show in April 2023 was a turning point in her career. After being invited to showcase her looks and compete in the Sustainable Category, she walked away that night with first place and the People’s Choice Award.
This reassured Burback that she could be successful in the fashion industry.
Garms 1 of 1 Takes On Milan
Burback’s most cherished fashion show memory was during her pop-up show in Milan at Parco Sempione.
In September 2023, she was invited to do a collaborative show with Greco Collective. As the 25 models sourced from street castings just a few days before, paraded around the park, Burback ran around frantically with her camera trying to get footage of the show.
“All of the models were up on a platform that’s in the park. I turned around and I saw this crowd of people that all had their phones out and were recording and were talking and pointing and they had just completely stopped in their tracks to see what the heck was going on,” she recalled. “That’s like one of my core memories. It just was such an amazing moment.”
Burback’s latest fashion show was at IOTBYS3 in Denver in December. Catch her return to Denver at DFW to see her evolution, passion and skill.
Her upcycled streetwear will meet the runway on Saturday, May 11 at 7 p.m. in RiNo at The Brighton, a Non Plus Ultra venue. Joining Garms 1 of 1 at DFW’s Sustainable Night “where style meets eco-consciousness showcasing the latest trends in a planet-friendly way” are Christos Furs & Leather, Flash + Rose, MOONBELLI, The Denver Ginger, HYACINTH, Earthly Threads, Factory Fashion, Valerian Projects and Canyon Couture.
Purchase DFW sustainable tickets here.