Photography by Nino Silva and Vy Pham
Photography by Nino Silva and Vy Pham
Story by: Katie Pusateri
Photography by: Nino Silva and Katie Pusateri
This year’s My Wedding Bridal Bash featured anything but traditional wedding attire. Patterns, textures and colors other than customary black and white rocked the runway. Denver’s top bridal shops dazzled the crowd of future brides, grooms, bridesmaids, groomsmen and their supportive family members with a variety of wedding wear for any member of the bridal party.
“Bridal is really going nontraditional,” says Emma Boesel of Emma & Grace. “Emma & Grace is all about catering to the funky or unique bride who wants to show off her personality. We’ve been seeing a lot of color and prints this year.”
Emma & Grace featured off-white or cream colored gowns while still including some classic elements like satin, sweetheart tops and tastefully tiered tulle. Unique looks like the metallic and lace Kelly Faetanini gown and a water-colored sweetheart cut topping off a peachy cream tulle bottom on a David Fielden gown made a beautiful statement on the runway.
Sully & Co. also gave classic wedding fashion a run for its money with hip menswear looks like bold pants in tangerine and olive mixed with striped suit jackets and ties. Sully & Co. also broke the mold with nautical blue shorts mixed with a striped sports coat for laid-back but ultra trendy wedding attire.
Haute children’s boutique, Heloise, made wedding fashion fun, trendy and comfortable for kids by adding adorable silver cat ears to a classic white flower girl dress and using a trendy floral patterned fabric for a traditionally shaped dress. Suiting for boys looked sharp yet relaxed with a red gingham button down.
While most of the runway featured modernized classic looks, not all were completely strayed from traditional bridal. Local bridal shops Anna Bé and A & Bé featured a variety of gowns from fairytale frills to covered up couture. There were classic looks like the sculptured satin Anna Maier dress, as well as ultra-trendy bohemian looks like the flow, fringe and lace mixed to create the “Cleo” dress by Rue De Seine.
Another common theme was Gatsby glam detailing or headpieces. Emma & Grace featured a beautiful off-white beaded gown with stunning detail by Theia, and A & Bé added a flapper-inspired headpiece by Nerida Mason to a simple white sheer-sleeved gown by Katie May.
With such a variety of styles and featured trends, guests of the 2015 My Wedding Bridal Bash were sure to find a look that’d compliment their personality and make them look and feel amazing on their special day!
Story by: Aubrey Houdeshell
Photography by: Nino Silva and Vy Pham
On February 26th, one of Denver’s most historic buildings, Union Station, was transformed into a stunning venue. Goodwill Denver partnered up with Union Station to host Union’s first ever fashion show, and their fifth annual En Vogue show.
Denver-based fashion designer Mondo Guerra, winner of Project Runway All-Stars, and Emmy-award winning fashion icon and mentor on Project Runway, Tim Gunn, hosted the evening. The goal of the night: to raise as much money as possible for Goodwill’s career development programs.
The middle of Union Station’s terminal had been dressed up in black, gold, and white. A large runway sat in the middle of the station, mini-stages with over-sized spotlights were placed smartly around the perimeter. Plush grey and black couches sat in the make-shift VIP lounges where mystery gift bags lined the seats.
The fashion show was split into two segments. The evening opened with fashion designs from local students that Guerra had personally been mentoring over the past month. Before the show began, however, we were invited downstairs for a brief press conference.
Gunn and Guerra met us in one of the conference rooms downstairs, against a Goodwill backdrop. Gunn sported a double-breasted navy blue suit over a white button down and burnt-orange tie, paired with dark brown suede shoes. In true Mondo Guerra spirit, Guerra wore a white suit patterned with large, whimsical black flowers over a black button-down and tie.
“There’s been a few full circle moments for me since coming off [Project Runway]. When Goodwill approached me about participating I said yes because when I started really getting interested in fashion, I went to Goodwill to deconstruct and reconstruct clothes,”
Guerra
“That’s how I learned—I would dissect things and look at how they were put together and use them as pattern pieces, and this was really my education. So to give back, and see the creative minds of young students, and see their work, is very special to me because I was there once too,”
Guerra
Back upstairs, Gunn and local 7NEWS meteorologist, Lisa Hidalgo, opened up the evening. Guerra spoke briefly about his experience working with the students, and how excited he was for the evening.
The student’s had put together modern looks that were inspired by fashion throughout the last century. From the 1900’s all the way into the future! Their challenge: to create each look by de-constructing and re-constructing clothing from Goodwill to create their look.
Priscilla Sawicki, from Denver School of the Arts, opened up the show with her look inspired by the 1900s. She created a navy blue top and high-low skirt, embellished with lace. Set off with pearls, and a tall, blonde up-do, her look was the perfect opener for the show.
The next look was easily the most shocking and controversial of the show. A model in women’s undergarments came out. In the likeness of the 1900s dresses, she wore the skeleton hoop around her waist. Gold chains and knee-high boots accented the black lingerie, but gave the over-all look more of a nod to BDSM than to the 1900s.
After the models made their debut at the end of the runway, each made their way around the stage, stopping to pose at the mini-stages around the runway. Men in black button-downs and gold ties escorted the models on and off the stages.
The top three looks of the night were from the 20s, 50s, and the future. The look from the future featured a flirty button-down with a white and red patterned collar, embellished with a plaid pocket on the breast. This was worn underneath an adorably cut jacket and matched up with a darker, peplum skirt and knee-high socks. The overall look was smartly styled and very fashion-forward.
The second place winner, from the 50s, consisted of the iconic waitress-like dress underneath an olive green military jacket. The bottom of the jacket also had the peplum-feature, created by layers of camo-lace. The classic victory rolls and red-lipstick made an appearance, setting off the 50s vibe perfectly.
The first place look of the evening came from the 20s era. It was a smartly proportioned, almost sheer, jumpsuit that cut off at the knee. The jumpsuit was paired with a flirty, lavender over-lay and nude, peep-toed pumps. The model donned the likeness of Emma Watson; it was almost hard to believe this look had been designed by a high school student.
The winner of the student-portion of the fashion show, Jackie Rodriguez, a junior at CEC Middle College of Denver, received an internship with Guerra for the summer, and a scholarship to Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design. The internship also leads to a chance to become Guerra’s apprentice.
The second portion of the show featured local celebrities including news anchors, radio personalities, and local fashion models. They wore looks put together by clothing from Goodwill’s Deja Blue Boutique, which is located in the upscale Cherry Creek North area.
Women and men sported hot looks for the upcoming spring season. Each outfit consisted entirely of clothes, shoes, and accessories from Deja Blue, and the models were styled by Stephanie O., a former contestant of Project Runway’s Under the Gunn.
Black and white patterned skirts, dresses, and tops were the main attraction of the evening. Navy blue, ankle boots, and large pearls also made an appearance throughout the night. Each theme in the outfits is currently trending for spring.
The outfits were also styled so they could be worn to a myriad of places: the office, date-night, every day wear. Deja Blue showcased outfits for a range of ages, as well.
“People [here] are chic and fashionable. In fact, I think you guys could easily upstage anyone in New York,”
Gunn
“When I meet a designer from somewhere other than New York, such as Denver, it peaks my curiosity,”
Gunn
“It used to be you needed to be in New York to manufacture anything. Those days are over. You can really be anywhere and run a fashion business.”
Gunn
This night was about more than just fashion, though. Between the two showcases, a live auction was held.. All proceeds from the auction went towards Goodwill’s career development programs for at-risk youth and struggling adults.
Prizes such as a trip to Mexico, a trip to LA, and lunch with Mondo Guerra were auctioned off. After the prizes, show attendees were asked to make donations ranging from $50-$5000. Altogether, the show raised over $118,000 for Goodwill’s career development program.
“Goodwill’s outreach into the community is well known,”
Gunn
“They are all about problem-solving and raising the bar for how people live their lives and the opportunities that they have. I am blown away by what they are able to achieve,”
Gunn
Photography by: Nino Silva and Vy Pham
Works by designers Rachel Marie Hurst, imminent rise, Lisa Ramfjord Elstun, Equillibrium, Gino Velardi, D'Lola Couture, and boutiques Whorl, Fancy Tiger Clothing and True Love Shoes and Accessories.
Photography by: Nino Silva and Vy Pham
Some may call it erotic. Some may call it mysterious. Some may call it uncomfortable. Some may call it vulgar. Some might not even know what to call it.
One description of Ira Sherman’s Chastity Couture collection that can’t be argued? Art. Unique design and original concept in their purest form.
On October 7, 2014 at Lannie’s Clocktower Caberet, a swanky, vintage cabaret venue, Denver’s top models bared all to don Ira Sherman’s chastity belt metalwork. Amid witty narration filled with sexual puns and dark, sensual lighting to set the mood, the models weaved through the seating area, getting up close and personal with the audience, showing off the intricately designed chastity couture.
The daring models saucily sported unique protective belts and underwear, made of bronze, steel and other metals, that were adorned with chainmail, diamonds and other exquisite detailing. Sherman’s chastity belt designs offered the ultimate in protection. Not the “lock and key” type of chastity belt protection that you probably first had come to mind. No, Sherman took protection to a whole other level.
Highlights of the show included the Pneumatic Dart chastity belt, which protected its wearer with a high pressure air valve that releases a dart when approached by a predator, and the Flame Thrower chastity belt for men, which literally had a propane tank attached to the back.
With incredibly creative naming and impressively detailed sculpting, each piece was purely one of a kind.
The show was not only fiercely sexy, but it was for a good cause, drawing attention to rape awareness. Sherman’s Chastity Couture show was perhaps the most ferociously intimate and surprisingly sexual anti-rape campaign ever executed.
Sherman, an intelligent and one-of-a-kind artist, delivers a broad spectrum of metalwork and sculptures. Some of his work can be found on his website.
