5 Local Designers to Watch at Denver Fashion Week

Six runway shows will take over the York Street Yards during Denver Fashion Week (November 11 to 19). Most of the hype leading up to the event is focused on California-based luxury brand St. John, which is kicking off the festivities with an opening show, and seven-year-old designing prodigy Max Alexander’s fashion event debut on day seven.

At its core, though, DFW is about celebrating Colorado designers and fashion creatives. We’re highlighting the five local brands to catch on the runway, so you can finally be the most fashionable person in your crew.

RabbitJax Clothing

Back in 2017, Ray Howard recognized that the fashion industry lacked gender-nonconforming clothing, so the Longmont designer founded RabbitJax with a focus on genderless streetwear. Howard’s original Ready to Wear collection includes T-shirts, sweatpants, and even backpacks with RabbitJax’s signature logo (rainbow lettering and bunny ears), while the Homeroom Handmade line features elevated, private-school-inspired pieces like leather jackets, informal checkered skirts, and gym tees.
Watch them walk: Streetwear & Sneakers, November 14, 6–10 p.m.

Autumn Olive Crochet

Twenty-four-year-old Autumn Olivia Ward has thousands of followers on Instagram and TikTok—for good reason. The Denver-based “crochet magician” stitches trendy, colorful sweaters that feature everything from floral designs to detailed Pac-Man illustrations. Ward’s crochet career began when she was just 10 years old, and she often thrifts material for her sustainably minded pieces (which she also ships out with eco-friendly packaging). Keep an eye out for the mosaic-style sweater she’s debuting at DFW: It was made by stitching together nearly 200 leather squares.
Watch them walk: Sustainable Fashion Show, November 15, 6–10 p.m.

Hoohah

Littleton’s fashion brand for women, Hoohah, is a crowd favorite, literally: It won the People’s Choice Award at DFW’s Emerging Designer Challenge last year. That’s because Hoohah creator Anna Tedstrom uses bright colors and vintage designs to infuse her outdoor pieces with a retro vibe. Plus, all of the brand’s garments are upcycled, meaning they’re made with previously used materials. While the line includes a fun selection of sweatpants, sweaters, boxers, bralettes, and tees, its bread-and-butter products are the coats and snow pants that light up ski slopes.
Watch them walk: Sustainable Fashion Show

Clay and Create

Brittney Smith’s aptly named fashion design brand, Clay and Create, was born from her love of clay art, which she later incorporated into wearable garments. The Colorado Springs artist is known for making bold jewelry pieces (chunky earrings, eye-catching necklaces), but Smith has also transferred her creativity into quirky clothing, like a top resembling a pair of gold lips. And nearly all of Smith’s pieces are made from sustainable materials like clay or other recycled materials. One of her most jaw-dropping pieces is Penny Torso, a top made out of pennies and comes pre-shaped to a woman’s upper half.
Watch them walk: Sustainable Fashion Show

Menez

Vincent and Saul Jimenez are well-known in the local fashion scene for their asymmetrical, edgy designs. The brothers’ interest in fashion was inherited from their mother and grandmother, who were both seamstresses. The duo launched Menez in 2013, and one of their most stunning creations remains the Hydra Horn Jacket, a puff cropped jacket with two draping horns that cascade nearly to the floor. In addition to its extensive men’s and women’s collections, the elevated fashion house also manufactures jewelry, belts, and bags.
Watch them walk: Society Fashion Show, November 16, 6–10 p.m.

Denver Fashion Week takes place November 11 to 19 at York Street Yards. Tickets start at $40, depending on the show, and can be purchased here.