Taking it back in time to the 1950s: vintage swing dresses, high-waisted pants, leather jackets, polka dots and checker prints. But for A Rockabilly Hair Story and Fashion Show, the patterns weren’t the main focus — the hair was.
A Rockabilly Hair Story and Fashion Show brought retro hairstyles to center stage July 26 at Subjective Coffee. An Amethyst Angel Hair Production, this hair and fashion show spotlighted hairstyles popular with the rebels of the 1950’s: slick backs, bumper bangs and victory rolls, pops of color in the hair and effortless punk looks.
Angela Castro of Amethyst Angel Hair produced the show alongside Rebecca Accardi (who also modeled in the show). Though A Rockabilly Hair Show is the first show either of them produced, Castro and Accardi brought the Denver fashion and beauty community together for a successful show of breathtaking art driven by passion.
This show was dedicated to the loving memory of Jax Gratton, a member of the Denver hair and make-up community who was murdered earlier this year. The group Justice for Jax Gratton provided support for the show, raising awareness in an effort to keep law enforcement accountable throughout the investigation into Gratton’s death — and in the future of violence against transgender individuals.
Moreover, all proceeds for the show went to Family Tree and Mutual Aid Monday, organizations that not only carry special meaning for Castro but who match the rockabilly spirit.
Castro first learned of Family Tree from their community thrift store, Treasure Trunk. Knowing that her treasure hunting went toward a good cause, Castro kept returning to Treasure Trunk, and eventually learned about Family Tree’s mission to combat interpersonal violence and elevate community support — missions that are close to her heart.
“I grew up in domestic violence, and I felt I didn’t have a voice. I felt it was normal for the longest time” Castro shared. “After finding them through Treasure Trunk, I looked more into Family Tree found they help domestic violence survivors and homelessness and provide resources. It just touched my entire soul because I lived in domestic violence all throughout my childhood, and I wanted to become a safe place now for others to know that I hear [them].”
When working with Accardi on producing the show, Castro was guided by her passion for helping those in situations she was all too familiar with. And the perfect theme for this fundraiser made itself clear as Castro did more research into one of the most prevalent hair moments in history: rockabilly.
Before producing this show, Castro and Accardi brought in local writer and theater professional Harmony Martinez to pay tribute to true rockabilly. Martinez not only researched the rockabilly movement to ensure alignment in event planning: she created the narrative for the Hair Story, weaving both history and style into the script, read by the event’s director Robin Scalzo throughout the show.
“Rockabilly is a movement; it’s more than just music,” Castro stated. “I did this show to help people have a voice while enjoying the history of Rockabilly with a twist. Rockabilly means having a voice, and while we all know the classic music legends of that time (who I will forever love), I now also have a new love for the artists who were not shown or not shown much. Even the women who entered Rockabilly did so at a time that was such a huge moment in women’s history, so I did want to express women empowerment, too.”
And that mission showed up in Castro and Accardi’s execution of the event: Crue 13, a local rock band, provided entertainment for the event and the car show that followed. Additionally, Robert Ham of Family Tree set the tone as a guest speaker, exploring Family Tree’s mission, the passion behind it and the urgency of community support.
As for the main event, the Hair Story itself featured designs from SKYE|AIRE by Skye Barker Maa. Known in the Denver fashion community for innovative design and performance art runway collections, Barker Maa’s SKYE|AIRE line was the perfect fit for the rockabilly theme and the team’s elite hair styling.
READ: Skye Barker Maa: The Endurance Artist Who Brought 116 Looks to Denver Fashion Week
Unlike traditional runway shows, Barker Maa’s collection told a story. Each look had a purpose, and a diverse range of models across different age groups moved through a timeline together, both paying homage to rockabilly history and pushing it into the 21st century.
Throughout the collection, vibrant color in each model’s look (whether in clothing or in their hair) popped against a throughline of black, grounding each look in the cohesive collection. Each model’s looks brought ruffles, textures and patterns that Rockabilly culture is known for against timeless swing music. The collection added modern twists to classic Rockabilly symbolism including vintage cars or bikes, tattoos, and pin-up culture: all emblems of defiance in that time period.
The Rockabilly Fashion & Hair Show wasn’t just about style: it was a celebration of culture, rebellion, and individuality stitched into every swirl and strut.
And this individuality was purposeful: the show was designed to spotlight the niches within the movement, a spectrum that Castro describes as “classic rockabilly to evolving rockabilly and gothabilly with avant-garde.”
Rockabilly hairstyles further solidified the rebellious nature of the show, spotlighting how hair defied norms during that time like the Pompadour, Victory Rolls, ducktails with a modern twist of pops of colors like blue or purple. Each model’s hair was carefully styled to show their individuality, emphasizing different hair types throughout the collection under the guidance of the show’s Hair Lead, Andrea Delmont, someone that Castro refers to as “pure Rockabilly.”
“I’m thankful for Andi Delmont, our pure Rockabilly. I knew she was my lead from day one of meeting her, and she helped us with the inspo and tips and tricks we needed to get the looks down for the show,” Castro shared. “I had such an amazing Co-Producer Rebecca Accardi, who was with me from day one with many ideas, many sleepless nights and a lot of behind the scenes help, who took on so many roles for this show, and I couldn’t be more grateful. I’m so thankful for my Director Robin Scalzo who literally organized the seating and walks and more in a 2-week span. I’m thankful for Darrel Dewitt for doing hair and leading the runway and Megan Urmann for fab makeup looks.”
Overall, the show was a beautiful reminder of the power of art: as a way to remember the past, as a way to celebrate the innovations we’ve made, and as a way to uplift community for a better future.
Production: Angela Castro and Rebecca Accardi
Hair Lead : Andrea Delmont
Hair & Runway Lead: Darrel Dewitt
Makeup Lead: Megan Urmann
Makeup: Rebecca Accardi & Robin Scalzo
Hair: Sky Young, Jennifer Heinrich, Tamara Elliott
Models: Tiffany Matteson, Rebecca Accardi, Gary Rickard, Makaio Martinez, Alex Lopez, Johanna Myers, Regina Villaflor, Cheribomb, Liv Siegel, Foxy KJeanah Watkins, Serenity Dontell, Eli Castro, Araya Chacon
All photos by Fred Langer Photography.