6 Denver Fashion Designers You Should Be Following
Denver is a city full of arts and entertainment, with designers and artists occupying every block. With a rising fashion scene, Denver is becoming the next It place for designers to make their name. As a Fashion major and a Denver native, I have come into contact with all types of artists throughout Denver, and these are just a few of the Denver designers that I recommend to people looking for unique, beautiful pieces.
Crystal Lee, C.R.LEE Designs
As a Fashion Design graduate from The Art Institute of Colorado, Crystal Lee had a difficult time finding clothing that fit her hourglass shape. She saw that there was a huge lack of clothing and designers that specialized in clothing for women of all shapes. Crystal Lee focuses on the tiny details of each garment. She specializes in making women feel beautiful and transformed.
Crystal created the C.R.LEE brand to give women of different shapes luxury clothing that is effortless and chic ‘with a little edge’. Crystal and the C.R.LEE brand was showcased at New York Fashion week in 2018 and 2019. Since then Crystal has taken C.R.LEE designs and turned it into an international brand. Her designs embrace fluid movements and edgy details. Crystal grew up in Miami, Florida, and accredits much of her inspiration from Miami. You can find her at @c.r.leee.
Samantha Aragon, Infatue
With six collections under her belt, Samantha Aragon is just 22. A Colorado native who is taking the fashion industry by storm. After dropping out of College, Samantha was passionate about becoming a fashion designer, and a well-known one at that. In 2012, she launched DenDree, her first collection that consisted of cut and sews T-shirts. She has since grown her business into a nationally recognized brand, Infatue.
Method Man, B.o.B, and Omar Bolden have all been spotted wearing Infatue clothing. Infature Sells high-end clothing and custom made hooded blazers with distinct, edgy details. Samantha Aragon is one of the next fashion designers to watch, we can expect to see her designs continue to make wind. Find them at, @infatue.
AldoElCreator, DarkDenim
Aldo Olivarez, or AldoElCreator, has become one of Denver’s most unique fashion designers. Starting the DarkDenim brand, Aldo creates hand-painted, upcycled designs featuring pop culture references, childhood characters, and vintage horror, creating a new kind of streetwear. His line, DarkDenim features denim jackets, T-shirts, hoodies, and accessories. Much of his inspiration comes from vintage finds, Aldo takes to Denver’s thrift stores, looking for old, worn pieces that he can transform. As streetwear designers in Denver continue to emerge, AldoElCreator is leading the pack. He garners much of his inspiration from Tim Burton’s work and different streetwear brands to create his very distinctive, eccentric brand.
Gabriel “Cisco” Medina, YOCISCO
Gabriel “Cisco” Medina and Angelica Medina are a father, daughter duo who owns and operates the Denver underwear brand, YOCISCO. YOCISCO is known around Denver as a luxury men’s underwear brand. Their designs are made with a sustainable, bamboo fabric and created to have a gratifying fit for all. Gabriel has noted that the brand was made to instill confidence in the wearer. The team makes designs that are made to fit any and all body types.
Born and raised in Denver, Gabriel has turned YOCISCO into a national brand, showing the line at Denver Fashion Week and selling to consumers across the United States. The brand is designed with pop culture, current events, and customers in mind, designing fun, alternative underwear, and accessories. YOCISCO has won awards for Best Overall Brand and World’s Best Underwear. The brand plans to continue to expand and grow into other markets within the fashion industry, I would bet we’ll be seeing their designs during Fashion Weeks in other cities soon enough! Shop the brands @YOCISCO
Mona Lucero
Mona Lucero has been in the fashion industry in Denver for some time. After graduating from The University of Colorado with a degree in Fine Art and The Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, Mona began to transform her ideas into fashion reality. She creates whimsical, magical, elegant designs and works toward creating styles that make every “body” feel beautiful and comfortable.
Mona’s designs have been recognized as one of Denver’s top designers and she has also won Westword’s Fashion Mastermind Award. Mona has won “Best of” awards from Denver’s Westword, 5280 Magazine, and Fashion Group International, and nationally from City Magazine in New York City. She has been featured in the Denver Post, Rocky Mountain News, and 303 Magazine as a Denver designer we must know. Mona draws most of her inspiration from art and designers, the world around her, and passion from helping others find their personal expression.
Danielle Sabey, DannyLiz Lingerie
Danielle Sabey launched DannyLiz Lingerie when she moved back to Denver from living abroad and traveling the world. Building her brand from the comfort of her own apartment, Danielle cuts and sews all of her designs by hand, crafting uniquely beautiful designs. She embraces differences and different body types, creating designs that can be worn by all bodies and genders, allowing for exclusivity to mold her brand.
Her designs have been showcased by RAW Denver, during Denver Fashion Week. Selling much of her work through Etsy, Danielle specializes in custom designs and orders, tailored to each individual. Knowing Danielle personally, she is kind, energetic, and wonderfully talented. With a background in fine art drawing, she has taken this knowledge and transformed it into intricate, detailed designs that showcase a person’s natural beauty. She is known for her rocker chick style, alternative mindset, and beautiful designs, and you can often find her at one of the many local hotspots in and around the city.
Like many cities, Denver is filled with artists and designers alike. Unlike other cities, Denver is growing into one of the top cities for Fashion design and culture. With this growth, we are seeing more and more designers emerging. From small, home-based companies, to nationally known brands, Denver has it all. While working in the industry throughout Denver, I have come to know many of these designers, both emerging and established. These are just a few of the designers that I would love to showcase within my style, and just a few of the many that you should know too.
