Fashion and innovation have always been intertwined, and no place embodies this connection quite like The Jacquard Hotel in Cherry Creek. Named after Joseph Marie Jacquard, the 19th century French inventor who revolutionized textile production with the first automatic loom for patterned fabrics.
This month the Jacquard Hotel will host the Denver Fashion Week Emerging Designer Challenge, a high stakes competition where rising designers will battle for a coveted spot in DFW Spring 2025.
Get Your Emerging Designer Challenge Tickets Here
About This Season’s Emerging Designer Challenge
Set against the luxurious backdrop of the Chanel, Dior, and Prada ballrooms, each named after legendary designers who shaped the fashion world, this event is more than a runway show. It’s a celebration of creativity, craftsmanship and the future of fashion.
With a panel of judges including Denver Fashion Week lead producers, local designers and audience members who will cast their votes, two standout designers will be selected to showcase their collections on Denver’s biggest fashion stage this upcoming season.
This year’s Emerging Designer Challenge features a lineup of rising talents, including Timeless Trend by Ameliah Tene, Make You Sparkle, CAKEBRAIN, Nohealani, Growing Through It, and Medicine Mender.
As they present their collection in a venue steeped in fashion history, they’ll be following in the footsteps of the iconic names that define luxury and style.
The Jacquard Hotel’s fusion of history, elegance, and cutting edge fashion makes it the perfect setting for this thrilling competition. As we step into a night of bold designs, innovative craftsmanship and high fashion, one thing is certain: the future of fashion is being woven right in Cherry Creek.
The Fashion History of The Jacquard Hotel
Before Joseph Marie Jacquard invented the first automatic loom, intricate woven patterns had to be crafted by hand, a painstaking and time consuming process. The Jacquard loom, introduced in 1804, revolutionized fabric production by using punch cards to automate complex designs, paving the way for mass production or luxurious, detailed textiles.
At first glance, The Jacquard Hotel is a sleek and modern staple of Cherry Creek, but its name carries a deep-rooted connection to the history of fashion and textile innovation. This innovation didn’t just impact fashion, it was a precursor to modern computing.
The connection between technology and design is woven into the hotel’s very identity, making it the perfect setting for an event that highlights emerging designers.
Beyond its historical namesake, the Jacquard Hotel pays homage to high fashion in other ways. Its event spaces are named after some of the most legendary fashion houses in history: Chanel, Dior, & Prada, each representing a legacy of craftsmanship, innovation and timeless style.
Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel redefined women’s fashion with her modern, elegant designs and pioneering use of jersey fabric. Christian Dior brought opulence back to post-war fashion with his iconic “New Look,” emphasizing structure, femininity and couture craftsmanship. Prada, founded in 1913, has continually pushed fashion’s boundaries, blending luxury with avant garde aesthetics.
These designers weren’t just creating clothes — they were shaping the very culture of fashion, just as today’s emerging designers strive to do.
From groundbreaking textile innovations of the past to the future forward creations of today’s up and coming designers, this event is a full circle moment, where history meets the next generation of fashion visionaries.
With a blend of history, luxury and high stakes competition, the Emerging Designer Challenge at the Jacquard Hotel promises to be a defining moment for these rising designers.
The DFW Emerging Designer Challenge will take place Saturday, March 22 at the Jacquard Hotel in Cherry Creek. Tickets and event information can be found here.
