On March 22, Denver Fashion Week’s Emerging Designers Challenge took place as six local designers competed for the opportunity to showcase their collection at this spring’s show. This year, it was hosted at the Jacquard Hotel, a historic hotspot in Denver’s iconic Cherry Creek neighborhood.
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The judge panel included Denver Fashion Week Producer Nikki Strickler, Creative Director David Rossa, last season’s winner Mitchelle Santana, fashion industry icon Peter Paul Scott, and model expert Katie Andelman. They rated each designer based off of creativity, concept, construction, music and ambiance amongst other things.
This year’s designers included Timeless Trend by Ameliah Tene, Make You Sparkle, CAKEBRAIN, Growing Through It, Medicine Mender, and Nohealanii. Each showed five looks that highlighted their own unique feature to hopefully assist them in moving on to Denver Fashion Week.
READ: Denver Fashion Week Announces Spring 2025 Line Up and New Themes
At the end of the night, Strickler announced the judges’ pick Timeless Trend will show a collection at this spring’s Denver Fashion Week. Additionally, she announced that CAKEBRAIN won the audience’s vote in a landslide and will also be presenting looks for the Denver Fashion Week runway in May.
Timeless Trend
Timeless Trends aka Katherine Peko-Mavaega had her models strut down the runway in her classic pieces inspired by her Pacific Island roots. The collection was made up largely of earth tones with tasteful pops of red, including traditional Pacific Island accessories against modern silhouettes. The judges noted that they “haven’t seen something like this done before at Denver Fashion Week” which certainly swayed their vote.
CAKEBRAIN
CAKEBRAIN aka Ethan Hernandez had his models go down the runway to Flatbush Zombies, truly the perfect soundtrack for his edgy collection. A raw collection of utility pieces, armor and army uniform influences, Hernandez was motivated by making a tangible impact on the world, ultimately winning the audience’s pick by a landslide.
READ: Meet The Competitors For The Spring Emerging Designer Challenge
Make You Sparkle
Make You Sparkle aka Kay Trejo had custom knit and sparkling pieces float beautifully down the runway. Made up of sheer fabrics, bright colors and, of course, sparkle, these designs were made for all to feel confident and truly caught everyone’s attention — perfect for this upcoming spring/summer.
Growing Through It
Growing Through It aka Evaliza Arredondo created a sustainable and maximalist collection that was thoughtful and intentional. Her models strutted down the runway in unique pieces that captivated the judges and audience, making for an unexpected and unconventional display.
Medicine Mender
Medicine Mender aka Sarah Fitzpatrick created circular fashion with a statement. Made from sustainable fabrics, these pieces included quotes that spoke to Fizpatrick’s eco-friendly vision, stating “what are you reading for our post-racist future” and “there’s already enough clothing to clothe the next 6 generations”.
Nohealani
Nohealani aka Jasmine Lee’s presented a seamless and cohesive collection that payed tribute to her Hawaiian heritage. These pieces brought color and warm island energy to the runway, even thoughtfully matching each models’ makeup looks to their clothing.
Though each designer brought intentional, well-crafted looks to the Emerging Designer Challenge runway, two designers were chosen to present a debut collection at Denver Fashion Week this spring. Timeless Trend and CAKEBRAIN made a lasting impact on both the evening’s judges and the audience, securing their spots on the Spring 2025 runway.
Denver Fashion Week Spring 2025 will take place May 10-18 at The Brighton. Tickets can be purchased here. All photography by Weston Mosburg.