Factory Fashion Brings Versatility to the Denver Style Scene

When searching for a piano class for her three-year-old, Skye Barker Maa found that many native music applications had prolonged waitlists or wouldn’t take a pupil so younger. So, in 2012, Barker Maa began Neighborhood Music, a college inside Aurora’s Stanley Market for pupils of any age and talent. That foray launched Barker Maa’s ardour for training, and inside 10 years, she had opened Factory Five Five, an arts collective, and develop into government director of Jk-co dance firm. In January 2021, Barker Maa added couture to her assortment, debuting Factory Fashion, a venue at Stanley that, like just a little black gown, transforms effortlessly from day to nighttime. Main as much as Denver Fashion Week (November 12 to twenty), we took a tour of Denver’s latest model hub.

Small-Batch Manufacturing

Weekdays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The two,500-foot area—with its 11 industrial stitching machines, 9 standing-height worktables, and eight gown kinds—operates as a manufacturing home for Colorado designers equivalent to Missy Caldwell of Misfitmissy and Darlene C. Ritz of DCR Studios. Manufacturing unit Style employs eight sewers who produce small runs for these and different native shoppers, together with Barker Maa, who will debut Skye Aire, a line of eccentric, ready-to-wear clothes throughout a Denver Style Week (DFW) present on the Sports activities Fortress on November 12.

Lessons

Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, 5 to 7 p.m.; Sundays, 1 to five:30 p.m.

In Little Sewers courses, inexperienced persons as younger as six be taught primary stitching abilities, whereas in different programs, superior sewers of all ages examine costuming, illustration, or cloth design. Pupils also can enroll in a nine-week vogue prep course through which they design a group and work with fashions and hair and make-up artists, culminating in a runway present throughout DFW. Appears from this fall’s session will likely be on show on November 13 at 11:30 a.m. on the Sports activities Fortress.

Style Champagne Bar

Choose nights

The stitching machines and roll-away tables are stowed to make manner for Manufacturing unit Style’s alter ego: a Champagne bar with a bubbles-based beverage program. Jazz nights function fizz-forward delights such because the Regent’s Punch: rum, cognac, pineapple, inexperienced tea, and a splash of glowing wine.

Immersive Social gathering Area

Choose weekends, 7 p.m. to midnight

On sure weekends, Barker Maa places her community of costumers, actors, set designers, and dancers into motion by throwing elaborate events. Previous iterations have included an immersive James Bond–themed soirée and a disco-fever fundraiser to assist Latin Fashion Week. Keep watch over Manufacturing unit Style’s web site and social media for particulars about future fetes.