The first-ever Latin Fashion Week Colorado debuts in Denver this weekend with the goal to showcase the diversity of designers in the city.
Designer, hair stylist and artist Norberto Mojardin is the organizer of the event. He hopes to break stereotypes of the Latin community and highlight the variety of identities within the community with the fashion week.
"I do hair, and when people are sitting in my chair, they're like, 'Can you believe it, Norberto? They told me that I'm from Mexico." When she's from Venezuela or Colombia or Cuba," Mojardin said. "So, the idea to create this project was more educational, that we, as Latin, means we are different shades of skin, size, height."
In his own collection, Mojardin hand-painted every piece. Past collections have included a dress made entirely out of paper, and clothes fashioned from corn husks.
In future years, Mojardin hopes Denver can host fashion weeks highlighting other communities, like African American and Asian American events.
"I want people to feel welcome and be very inclusive with what we're doing," he said.
Latin Fashion Week Colorado kicks off with a fashion show featuring local designers at the Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum from 6 - 10 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 24. It concludes with an international fashion show at the EXDO Event Center from 6 -10 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 30, featuring designers from around the world.
Find more events and workshops and buy tickets on the Latin Fashion Week Colorado Facebook page.
