5 Up-and-Coming Fashion Designers From Denver

Denver might not be a city that comes to mind when talking about high-end fashion, but the fashion design community in the Mile High City is alive and well. Designers have the advantage of a close-knit arts community and the support of several local organizations that make working in Denver a creative haven. As more and more creatives flock to Denver, the talent and competition rises, only pushing the Denver fashion industry to new heights each year. Here are five up-and-coming Denver fashion designers to be on the lookout for.

Duane Topping

Duane Topping of Topping Designs has a backstory as interesting as his creations. Topping retired from active military service in 2012 after many deployments, and found the adjustments to civilian life a difficult transition. He was able to take his lifelong love of fashion and channel it into a career and passion to create a fresh start for himself as a veteran. Topping fits his unique designs to the women who model them, striving to break barriers in terms of standards of beauty in the fashion industry.

Duane Topping Collection | © Leona Hiles

Topping Signature Looks | © Jeremy Mickelson

Gabriela Martinez

Gabriela Martinez of Gabriela Designs is an award-winning Latina fashion designer of wedding gowns, evening wear, and special occasion attire for women. She also specializes in restyling vintage wedding gowns. She opened her first shop at the age of 22 in Mexico, importing fabrics from New York and California. She’s been designing in Denver since 2003. She won the 2013 Denver Fashion Designer of the Year award.

Jeremy Willard

Jeremy Willard is a self-taught menswear clothing designer and tailor whose personal style is “a mash of classic menswear, street, punk, and a dash of glam.” He began his career at Denver Bespoke, before branching out into his own line. His most recent show at Denver Fashion Week received excellent reviews for its playfulness and well-crafted ingenuity.

Maggie Burns

Maggie Burns of Marie-Margot Couture is a well-known fixture in the Colorado wedding community. Her couture gowns are of an exceptional quality that are perfect for a walk down the aisle or the red carpet. Her style is both high-end and “heirloom” in its aesthetic, with plenty of lace, silk, and satin to go around. Burns’ next step is to launch a national, ready-to-wear bridal line inspired by her impeccable couture quality.

Kotomi Yoshida

This Japanese native with an art school background has settled in Denver and brought her spirit of Tokyo fashion and fairytale inspiration with her. Kotomi Yoshida’s work is more than just a design, it’s a story. Her wearable art for men and women is constructed of upcycled materials and fabrics.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.