October is the time of year when the leaves change, the days get cooler, and fall fashion is in full swing. The Creature of Couture fashion show was as diverse as the designers themselves. There were feminine, floral dresses, screen-printed t-shirts, handmade leather bags, and everything in between. The fashion show was held at Summit Music Hall on October 22, 2010. The show was a combination of music and fashion, and the best part was, they were all local.
There were a total of five bands, which included The Heyday and The Shapeup Brigade. After two designers displayed their designs, a band would play a short set on the stage, and the models walked down a connected catwalk into a cloud of flashes from the photographer's cameras. At first glance, the stage set up looked like it could have been a disaster.
The bands had some of their gear on the stage, and the models had to maneuver around that in sky-high heels and then walk down the catwalk. However, all the chaos was controlled. The bands set up and tore down their gear quickly and the models worked the runway and showed off the designs with grace and attitude. They had either huge, teased-out hair or sleek, straight locks -- many had fun, ghoulish makeup.
All the proceeds went to the Have a Heart Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports needy families in Adams County. Amanda Anderson, the designer of Amore Love, helped put on fashion show along with her husband Jason. They chose Have a Heart Foundation after their daughter's Girl Scout Troop volunteered there. "It's a wonderful organization; it's almost like a thrift store setting. People come in with bags and are able to fill them with everything from jackets, to shoes and pants," said Amanda. "They also have a food bank, with fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, can goods, dessert items, and toiletries."
The apparel designers included Ruckus Apparel, Amore Loves, Holiday Clothing, Natasha Lilipore, Fish Face, Marlaesk, Julie Ann, Champagne Clothing, and Klever Kitty. There were two accessory designers, Pink Thread and Woven Hearts. Even though the show and even the makeup had a Halloween theme, each line had its own unique personality.
The majority of the designers used recycled clothing. They would go to thrift and second hand stores and give the clothing another chance. The Pink Thread (thepinkthread.yolitasite.com) uses leftover leather pieces from Lazy Boy and creates original, funky bags.
The pieces featured in the show were all beautifully made. However, the most impressive part was that the majority of designers had other full time jobs or were going to school. Being a fashion designer was not their full time gig; they figured out how to make the time to create their master pieces.
Imagine the iconic Misfits skull on a t-shirt with the famous Beiber hair. That's an example of one t-shirt created by Logan of Champagne Clothing. He builds the screens from scratch and uses water-based paint, which is no easy task. He started out making shirts for friends and local bands. People across the board want a piece of the Champagne Clothing; everyone from churches to family reunions to bands. They created shirts for Denver Pride called All Love is Equal, which was a huge success.
Julie Ann was the last designer to join the benefit music fashion show, but her clothing looked top-notch. Her pieces were the most feminine. She said her line was a combination of Beetle Juice and My Fair Lady. It had the right amount of theatricality without looking like it came straight out of a play.
The Creature of Couture Fashion Show was a combination of Colorado fashion and hit music. The designers showed off their hard work and the bands played their hearts out. It was a great treat before the Halloween weekend.