Maricopa designer puts fashions on Denver runway this weekend

Rising Native American fashion designer Loren Aragon of ACONAV will present his latest collection at the fourth annual Native Fashion in the City (NFITC) in downtown Denver, Colorado. The event kicks off Friday night.

The Acoma Pueblo designer and artist, who resides in Maricopa, returns to NFITC for a second year and will debut his first-ever 2017 autumn/winter collection. After a successful launch of his brand in the acclaimed Phoenix Fashion Week, Aragon continues to seek greater recognition for his work by presenting on another premier stage focused on showcasing emerging indigenous talents all across North America.

“I want to represent the culture of my people with the hopes of inspiring future generations in our community,” Aragon said. “I feel that we [Native Americans] need a greater presence in the fashion industry, and this experience allows me to respectfully represent a part of the indigenous culture in North America.”

ACONAV returns as one of the featured NFITC designers with designs that incorporate design elements that are authentically inspired by the Acoma Pueblo traditions and pottery art culture. Shows such as NFITC have been a great venue for gaining exposure to the uniqueness of ACONAV. In the year prior, ACONAV was invited to be a part of the experience allowing Aragon to continue in his mission in fashion.

NFITC is produced by Kelly Holmes, chief editor and founder of Native Max Magazine and her Denver-based team. Holmes’ Native Max publication connects its readers with the fashion realm of Indian country in both the traditional and contemporary categories.

“At last year’s NFITC, ACONAV was definitely one of the showstoppers,” Holmes said. “We certainly can’t wait to see the newest ACONAV collection on this year’s runway.”