In a city with so many different pockets of individuality, Denver’s streetwear can be hard to nail down. Nevertheless, the designers for night four of Denver Fashion Week showed that street style can transcend trends and emphasize individuality.
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The event took place at York Street Yards on Tuesday November 14. Amber Wilkerson, on-air personality for Alice 1059 and the night’s host, warmly welcomed the crowd wearing a dress created by the show’s closing designer Azuratrella.
READ: York Street Yards Set to Host Denver Fashion Week
The Boogeyman’s Closet
As designer Carter Cupp puts it, “The Boogeyman’s Closet is like if the Addams Family grew up skating in Texas.”
And Cupp didn’t lie.
His collection combined classic skater and street style elements such as hoodies, gothic-esque graphics and creeper-style shoes with fringe, striking belt buckles and classic western silhouettes. Though the clothing was mostly black, Cupp’s monochromatic collection was anything but flat. His use of layering and deliberate pops of color made for a dynamic and intricately styled collection.
Shadow Angels Clothing
Designed by Michael Thomas, Shadow Angels Clothing transported guests into another dimension – quite literally. Taking place in a universe where the beings in the Good World populate with the beings in the Bad World, the collection imagined what the Good + Bad World might look like.
READ: Shadow Angels Unveils New Collection in Preparation for Denver Fashion Week
Each look featured Thomas’s complex paintings, whether that be on banners and canvases or painted on the clothing itself. For the Shadow Angels Clothing collection, guests were encouraged to wear 3D glasses, which elevated Thomas’s looks from vibrant, striking streetwear into a shifting, almost unsettling sphere.
Stoked LA
Leah Sullivan was first inspired to create stylish loungewear during the “Uggs and gray sweatpants” era of her middle school years. Nine years later, Sullivan brought her collection of colorful, eye-catching sweats to the Denver Fashion Week runway. And these sweats were anything but lazy. Though the models were of various genders, Sullivan’s collection was a reminder that streetwear is no longer just for the boys. The black and white sweats were paired with bright colors and skin-bearing pieces – from a neon yellow loose crochet skirt to a bikini top of fuchsia tape. Above all else, Stoked LA’s collection was a reminder of just how fun dressing down can be.
“No one should have to sacrifice style for comfort. Streetwear is a fun way of being comfortable while still expressing yourself–there’s really no limitations,” Sullivan said.
Jon Rubio
Local artist and winner of the DFW Performer Challenge Jon Rubio invigorated the crowd during intermission with a high energy hip hop performance. Wearing local brand Denver Made, Rubio performed four original tracks, including the song that he used to audition for the spot, “Fan Girl.”
Rabbitjax Clothing
Opening the second half of the show was Rabbitjax Clothing who showed a collection that deliberately steered toward the glam end of the streetwear spectrum.
Set to Olivia Roderigo and other upbeat pop hits, Rabbitjax models donned asymmetrical hemlines, chunky accessories and patchwork pieces for a collection that was overall dynamic, intricately designed and the perfect mix of grungy and glam. Though pink and red hues were a consistent throughline in the Rabbitjax collection, designer Ray Howard utilized varying color and pattern for looks that were both distinct and cohesive – representing what Howard ultimately loves about street style.
“Streetwear to me means wearing what you want to wear when you want to wear it,” Howard said. “Everyone can party.”
KOJO x Sedulous
Kojo Kadir and Sedulous Design were joined by local designers Dog Hair and Zee Tab for their Denver Fashion Week street style collection. The four put together a collection inspired by the city they grew up in. In particular, the group of designers put together a grungy collection inspired by the often unseen underbelly of Denver.
“We all grew up in downtown Denver, and that’s where this collection comes from the gritty, underground lifestyle and chasing the dream,” Kadir said.
Musical accompaniment by local cello player Jae Wes added a dreamy element to the muted tones and soft textures worn by Kojo x Sedulous models. The collection was perhaps the most traditional street style collection of the night, heavily featuring oversized silhouettes, grungy graphics and striking foot- and headwear.
OKIME KOLLECTIONS
Emiko Freeman’s collection is inspired by Japanese streetwear and the unique mixture of styles incorporated in that facet of style. This varying aspect of Japanese streetwear was what inspired Emiko in her first professional runway collection:
“There’s so many different versions: anyone can express themselves fully,” She said.
OKIME KOLLECTIONS’ collection heavily featured upcycled denim in classic streetwear silhouettes. Though most of Emiko’s patchwork creation was made from minuscule scraps of denim, some pieces included nods to iconic classic denim brands such as Levi’s and Carhartt through careful inclusion of their recognizable pockets and logos–perhaps a nod to street style’s historic balance between brand-heavy pieces and modest workwear.
Azuratrella
For her second DFW collection, Azura Trella designed a collection based on high school tropes. From the class clown to the janitor, Azura combined classic elements of each trope with streetwear essentials – such as oversized fits, chunky hardware accessories and pockets on pockets on pockets to create 21 distinct looks.
Azuratrella had elements of coquette frills and traditional academic patterns to close out the show with a reminder that street style can be varied, individualistic and unexpected. Essentially, streetwear is what you make it.
Photos by Adam Ripplinger
Denver Fashion Week continues now through Sunday November 20 at York St Yards (3827 Steele St). Tickets can be purchased here.