I had the pleasure of speaking recently with Denver’s own Gino Velardi, and after just a few minutes I felt the easy comforts of an old friend.

One of the most touching insights of Gino’s story was how his late mother had such a huge impact on his future as a designer, “I witnessed my mother getting ready for an event,” he remembered, “ and I thought she was very glamorous.  She would say, ‘Always look your best; you never know who you might run into’!  Once I discovered a fashion magazine, that was it.  That’s when I knew I wanted to become a fashion designer: to create beautiful clothing for the confident, strong, and sexy women!”

Denver's Gino Velardi

After his mother passed away, Gino was left with the responsibility of raising his younger brother and sister, and took on the added challenge of teaching himself sewing, tailoring, and design.

Aly: I love that your grandmother, mom, and sister are your inspirations. Looks for all ages is a great concept.  How do you tackle such a wide variety of women?

My grandmother, mother, and sister inspire me a lot.  I have many clients that are of every size and shape (from size 2 to 22) that’s why I like custom clothing: it’s made to fit perfectly!  I enjoy making something for the everyday woman.  I don’t limit myself to one demographic and it’s a great challenge for me to broaden my design skills and establish a devoted clientele.

[View with PicLens]

Aly: What fabrics, cuts, and colors inspire you?

Fabrics inspire me a lot.  I go to every fabric store in town and when I go there for something specific, I end up purchasing fabrics that I love.  The fabric really speaks to me as far as the design.  The cut of a garment really depends on the fabric; although, I like combining different fabrics to create a third element of difference. I also like to use fabrics that have geometric and floral prints.

Aly: What messages do you hope to send through your designs?

At this moment, after my show, I felt it expressed a maturity within my designs and myself.  My tailoring skills and fabric selections have all evolved over the past few years.  I’ve always wanted to show a very elegant and sophisticated collection that expressed my overall view of what I think a woman should be wearing in her everyday life, from day to evening.  I merely suggest to that women, of any shape and size, what I think would look best on them.  It’s collaboration between me and the client, and to have that one-on-one relationship with my clients to create the perfect garment for their specific needs.

Aly: Where can someone purchase your garments?

As it’s been from the beginning, I do all custom work.  I enjoy working with a woman, and making her look and feel her best.  I create an experience with all my clients that completely focus on their needs and also express my designs.  Next, I’m considering looking into opening a store in the Cherry Creek area, (nothing is confirmed yet) but keep a look-out!

Aly: What can we expect to see from you in the near future?

I’m already working on another collection.  I would like to show in late spring or mid-summer; something more sexy and fun: bathing suits and sexy gowns and flirty dresses.  Going back to my early days of draping, and maybe re-introduce some menswear.  I had one all male fashion show in 2003, but found that men don’t purchase custom made clothing.  However, I plan to have another all male fashion show in the near future.

My main goal is to introduce a new line of handbags.  I always try to push myself to do something new and creative for every show.  I’ve always thought about designing handbags and now I’ll have the opportunity to showcase them.

Aly: What is the best part about being a designer?

The best part is being creative!  I love having fashion shows and showing the public an exciting show that also promotes my business.  I love the beauty in creating clothes that work with a woman’s body, while presenting something new and exciting every season.

Aly: And finally…What draws you to fashion?

Beauty!  I love seeing beauty in everyday life and in every person.  I honestly think that fashion is therapeutic.  If you dress nice and care about yourself a little more each day it always makes a person feel better about themselves and gives a positive presentation to others.  You feel empowered and confident.  Fashion is probably the best way to express yourself and your individual style.  I make clothes for myself and when I’m dressed nice I feel that much better about myself.

Gino’s success has skyrocketed while his designs are more in demand than ever before; and, after hearing his story and seeing his work, there is no denying he deserves everything that comes his way.  For more information about Gino Velardi and his collections visit www.ginovelardi.com.

November 13, 2009 at Invesco Field
7:00pm           Doors open for check-in, pre-show reception and mingling
8:00-8:15pm   Fashion Show seating
10:00pm         After Party at INVESCO with the Designer
12:00am         AFTER After Party at Wicked Garden -1403 Larimer St., Denver, CO 80202

Gino Velardi is a successful fashion designer and proud Colorado native who’s hosting an incredible fashion show this Friday night! The show will feature 100 designs including: cocktail dresses, gowns, suits, and coats.  If you haven’t purchased your tickets yet, you can do so at the door (priced at $50 and up).  Part of the proceeds will benefit the Dress for Success Denver, whose mission is “to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support, and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.”

And just in case you don’t have anything to wear, I’ve come up with a few suggestions:
The sweater dress is extremely popular right now and BCBG Maxazria has a ton of evening styles to choose from.  Solid, bold colors are timeless and easy to pair with great accessories.

BCBG Maxazria Cowl-Neck Sweater Dress
$238.00

For cold temperatures try layering short sleeved dresses with long sleeve shirts.  Turtlenecks and dark colors tend to work best for the season.

BCBG Maxazria Blue Turtleneck Sweater Dress
$168.00

Leggings are also a great layering tool.  Pair black leggings with classic black, knee-high boots to elongate your legs!

Looks available at BCBG Maxazria and Saks Fifth Avenue.

Confidence:  It’s in that pair of jeans that make your butt look amazing, the fitted white tee you’re wearing in countless photographs, or those vintage heels that make your legs look slimmer. These items may not fit your definition of fashion, but they’re the ones that not only give you tons of compliments, but also tons of confidence.  Image consultant Milena Joy says personal style can have a great impact on self-esteem.

“It’s a snowball effect,” she says. “If you have an outfit that you know makes you look good, you’ll feel more confident and have more energy. When you look good, you feel good, and all of a sudden you do good things.”

While clothing shouldn’t dictate how you present yourself, wearing clothes that fit well can do wonders for your self image. “Feeling good about yourself,” says Joy, “is reflected in how people see you.”

One of Joy’s clients, who considered herself overweight, started crying after trying on an outfit Joy picked out for her because she wasn’t used to wearing clothes that fit her properly.  “She was used to wearing boxy clothes that would hide her body.  It’s just about the right materials—I helped her find the right outfits to show off the body she didn’t know she had.”

“Finding a unique personal style,” adds Joy “doesn’t always have to be based on the constant hunt for the latest trends.” Rather than racking up a credit card with “disposable” trend pieces, Joy advises to choose classic pieces that fit your body type.

“There’s a total emotional connection to clothes,” she said. “It doesn’t mean that they have to be ‘designer,’ and it doesn’t mean that they have to be super latest-greatest in fashion. You just have to feel good in them.”

Finding a personal style that works for you depends on your body type, but Joy gave us some of her recommendations that work across the board:

·         Choose dark colors. “Deeper, darker colors are always more sophisticated looking. If you don’t want to buy a really expensive evening gown, you could get by with a day dress in a darker color and some dressy earrings.”

·         Have a great all-purpose wrap. “We live in Denver, and it’s cold! The wrap is an affordable staple to have in your closet.”

·         Go with the highest heel that you feel comfortable in. “When you wear heels, they make your legs appear longer and leaner, especially when you’re wearing a skirt or dress.”    For the clumsy ones who refuse to wear heels: “Get a very light flat. The lighter your shoe is, the lighter you are. You don’t want a shoe that has a lot of clunk. In addition, a nude shoe will elongate your leg.  It blends into your flesh so it’s almost as if your foot disappears.”

·         Keep the dress length either at the top, middle, or, at the longest, the bottom of the knee. “Once you get lower, you start to hit around your calf— it makes your legs appear wider, which in turn makes you look wider. When you wear a skirt that’s as long as your knee, visually, you only look as wide as your knee.”

·         Have one accessory that’s your statement piece. “A big cocktail ring, earring, or necklace, for example. You can get really creative to add that personal touch. But remember, you don’t want all three or it’ll be too much.”

Contact Milena:

www.milenaconsulting.com
4530 W 37th Ave
Denver, CO 80212
(303) 585-0589

See our events section for a fabulous holiday party hosted by Milena.

Heidi as Betty Boop 2002

by Aly Peters, fashion correspondent

Victoria’s Secret Angel and host of Project Runway, Heidi Klum is also famous for throwing Hollywood’s most sought-after Halloween parties. This year the 9th Annual Halloween Bash will be held in Los Angeles, and even if you’re not on the list you can still look like a supermodel –or a version of her anyway. Some of Heidi’s best Halloween costumes can be found online at www.costumesupercenter.com– from sexy to scary you’ll have plenty to choose from!

In 2002 Heidi dressed up as “Betty Boop” the entire costume is available at the Costume Super Center or simply put on your favorite red dress and pick up a black wig to top it off.  Heidi went all out with the lashes and even painted her eyebrows black to match Betty’s hair.

Heidi rocking the streets as a Vampire in 2005

Heidi donned vampire garb for Halloween 2005, and the Costume Super Center has this similar version available.  The giant wig and white face are optional, but that’s what I love about Heidi’s version–she takes everything to the utmost degree.

Classic Cat at Halloween '07

In 2007 Heidi went as the classic black cat, which is available at most Halloween stores– this one is also from the Costume Super Center online.

V.S Angel

Trick-or-treat!

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Menswear: Evening jacket with Japanese embroidery. curtesy: Duke Shoman Photography

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After: the redesign, priced at $65.

 Though Kotomi is a designer in her own right, she is first and foremost a redesigner. Kotomi got her first taste of redesigning in her college years when she scoured Goodwills in Tennessee for pieces with potential.  She’d always liked drawing, but truly wanted to sew.  It was necessity though, before it was art.  “I had to sew,” she says, “so I’d have something to wear.”  It was then that Kotomi developed her eagle eye for design flaws and other wears to the fabric.  Many of her redesigns are influences by these structural flaws as she calls them.  An iron burn, coffee stain, stitching that’s unraveled—all of these are fixed, cropped, or covered with elaborate stitching.“You just dive in, and somehow

Before: 1940's vintage velvet cocktail dress

 it all works out in the end.” 

– Such is the way with artists. 

Industrial Elegance: Sea green chiffon with pink Japanese cherry blossom detail

Fashion for Kotomi is influenced not only by lifestyle, but also personality.  That’s the beauty of her custom redesigns.  Most often, we don’t think to customize our wardrobe.  We’re content with the individuality of our choices—to mix and match, but what if you added a sprinkling of embroidery to the collar of your favorite sweater, or a snippet of lace to your jacket hem?  It’s a little known secret of runway connoisseurs, that almost every customer requests alterations to specific tastes.  I have two past experiences with custom pieces—a pair of jeans and a black purse I had hand-painted with small designs— I wore them both to their thread bare graves.

 If you’re stuck in a fashion rut, or maybe just have a few items that you don’t know what to do with, consider custom.  It’s a great way to salvage older favorites and assure that your investment doesn’t go to waste. 

contact:  http://www.studioyoshida-eco.com/

Before: Green velour jacket. The "After" is our cover shot

Spotted:  Leighton Meester draped in a Tiffany’s key-charm necklace.   If you’re like me and your guilty pleasure is a little Monday night Gossip Girl, then maybe you too have been eyeing Blaire Waldorf’s necklace in the last few episodes.  Tiffany’s has recently come out with a whole line of key pendants starting at $230, with diamond encrusted versions starting at $3,100.  The keys come in gold, white gold, rose gold, silver, and platinum, with chains varying in length and material as well.  The keys come in a variety of shapes and sizes so you can pick the one that unlocks your sense of style!

Our September issue was packed with inspiration and ideas, and we’d like to know what you did with them.  Are you investing in new pieces or perhaps rediscovering old?  Are you stuck with a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear? We’d like to hear your feed-back.  We’d especially like to know what you’d like to hear more of.

For October, we’ve got some closet organizing tips, hard fast rules to take shopping, and some ideas for revamping what you can’t bear to toss out.  We’d also like to feature some tips from our readers for refreshing a tired wardrobe.  Maybe it was a new shade of lipstick, or a necklace you forgot you owned, tell us about it!

I cursed my jewelry box as I prepared for my interview with Kirsten Boedecker.  How is one supposed to accessorize when meeting an acclaimed jewelry designer?  I was completely frazzled the entire way to Boulder.  When I arrived at The Kitchen (a quaint restaurant on Pearl Street) Kirsten’s laid-back Boulder attitude put me instantly at ease.  Over a glass of wine Kirsten and her marketing assistant, Whitney Honstein, introduced me to a whole new world of jewelry.  

Wrist Cuff in Smokey Topaz, Blue Mabe Pearl, and White Topaz Retail $1500

Kirsten has been making jewelry for over twenty years, but recently she and co-founder Jennifer Klein, decided to revamp their privately owned company, and launched a brand new line nationally this past spring.  Even though Kirsten was recently promoting her line to celebrities at the Emmy’s and has been featured in magazines such as InStyle and Women’s Wear Daily, she doesn’t forget where she started making her jewelry— in her very own garage.  Today, due to growing demand, the jewelry is carefully hand-crafted in Bali; woven with fine gauged wire and textured one drop at a time.  Precious and semi-precious stones adorn 18 karat gold and sterling silver designs.  What inspires Kirsten?  “The idea that a well-made piece of jewelry may one day become an heirloom inspires me— it’s where my creative process begins.”  Each design is a classic masterpiece reborn in Kirsten’s rocker-chic style.  These bold statement pieces are not for the faint-hearted.  The rings featured on the cover are some of my personal favorites!

KIR’s newest line, Mother of Pearl, is a collection of pendants which is part of their charitable giving program.  The four symbolic pendants: Buddah, Ganesha, Naga Dragon, and the KIR logo, resonate deeply with the women at KIR.  Each pendant is fittingly embellished with a peace sign on the back (shown at left).   With the sale of a pendant a $10 donation is made to one of the non-profit organizations KIR has chosen to represent: The Q Fund, The Oceanic Preservation Society, and The East Bali Poverty Project.

KIR jewelry can be purchased at the Starfish Jewelry boutique in Boulder (1738 Pearl St), and online at www.shopgoldyn.com  (also coming soon to Goldyn’s Denver showroom).

On a recent foray into the business bustle downtown, I was astonished by the number of women wearing dowdy, ill-fitting pantsuits.  Many women turn to them because they’re easy, and further-more, hard to get wrong.  With busy work schedules and hectic home lives, many women don’t have the time or inclination to branch out into new wardrobe territory.  Solution:  the belted-dress.

Three reasons why you should try it: 

1. Michelle Obama (Take a tip from our First Lady:  belt+ dress=seriously classy)
2. It’s easy—one piece means no matching required 
3. It’s flattering

Nothing honors the female silhouette quite so well as a dress.  Add a waist-cinching statement belt and a strand of pearls (we doubled ours up and used as a bracelet) and you’re out the door with time to spare.

Monochromatic color scheme with chunky metalic accessories.

Dress, purse, pearls, vintage.

Belt, Jasmine, $28.

Try a rugged neutral belt with a grown-up statement purse.     

Dress, purse, vintage.

Belt, Antonio Melani, $98

Add a little interest to your weekend attire with decorative brass plating.

Dress, clutch, vintage.

Our belt is actually an antique bridle piece from a tack shop in London.  (never close your mind to the possibilities!)

Accent a fun, flirty dress with a skinny belt–added bonus: ornamental buckle.

Dress, vintage.

Belt, Dan’s Boots and Saddles, $38.

Lady-like simplicity with a sleek belt in a contrasting solid.

Dress, vintage.

Belt, The Limited, $49.

Make-up: Femme Artistry

Models: Cara P., and George

 Dressing for events can be a bit tricky, especially in Denver where you’ll encounter looks ranging from a Northface and sneakers to designer dresses and stilettos.  In my opinion, overdressing is a style trend, while under dressing is a style faux pas.  So, when in doubt, get those heels out, and let me do the shopping for you.  Stacy McElhany, owner of Violet boutique, and her mom Sandy were kind enough to let me play dress-up and put together some incredible looks for the upcoming events:  Cirque du Soleil’s Kooza and Wicked. 

Showing:

October 7-November 15, 2009

Buell Theatre

Look #1

This belted, zip-front, black dress is a fun

yet sophisticated look–

Paul n KC, $77.00. 

Accessorized with:  

Threaded chain handbag, $73.00

Cotton scarf by Shawlsmith, Amazonia $84.00. 

Smoky topaz necklace and earrings by Lula Designs

Tree of Life copper bracelets made from recycled metals, Alex & Ani, price upon request. 

                                                                                                                                              Look #2 

For a more casual look try pairing this beaded silver top from The Clothing Company with these Dream Diva curvy fit, sable jeans. Top, $48.00; jeans, $74.00 

Look #3

If you’re looking for drama, consider Andie Hart’s swirly sheer linked tank dress $67.00.  Paired with: long ruffled black scarf $36.00; and black, criss-cross buckle handbag, $70.00.

 Model: Kari White

 To purchase these looks please visit:

 Violet

1439 Larimer Street

Denver, CO 80202

720-932-1655