A Night Out With JNava

Hey Readers,

Being someone that was previously very distant from the fashion world, the weekend before Spring Break was quite an eye opener for me. As previously mentioned, the NXT fashion show was in downtown Denver with JNava being one of the featured designers. Zach and I were fortunate enough to get the opportunity to attend, and it went far beyond our expectations. As soon as I walked in the doors, I realized that we were in for quite the treat. The first thing that caught my eye was the variety of the crowd at the venue. The crowd had a plethora of people including fashion designers, photographers, older parents of the models, and children from the Boys and Girls Club of Colorado (www.bgcmd.org). And then there was us, two college students that had never been submersed in anything even remotely close to this.

Break-dancers

The night started off with a few live musical performances from local Denver artists, along with a break dancing skit put on by two young boys from the Boys and Girls Club that got the crowd clapping in unison.  After that it was time for the models to walk the runway. Getting seats right by where the models stopped and struck poses for the photographers, Zach and I found ourselves sitting by many fashion enthusiasts.

JNava was the first company to have their clothes shown off, with models sporting JNava t-shirts, bags, jackets, and sweatshirts. A model came by about every 30 seconds, striking three to four poses before proceeding to the back to sprint and change into their next outfit. Each model had a distinctive hairdo and make up design. For instance, every model had a specific splash of a brightly colored hair. By the end of the night, I even found myself critiquing the models walks and poses. I found some looks to fierce, and some too soft. Some walks seemed to fast and high speed, while others looked almost lazy and too laid back. This showed me how difficult being a model truly is.

"Lien on your dreams" shirt being modeled 

Overall, the night made me establish a new level of respect for people within the fashion industry. Noting how much time was taken by the designers, photographers, and models, I was able to realize that fashion can be more than just a hobby for some people. Rather, it is a lifestyle. These people all have goals and directions in life that are dictated by fashion, whether it is trying to make it as a top model, getting an established and known clothing company, or snapping pictures that are of value. Often times people disregard other people’s passions that are irrelevant to themselves. I am surely guilty of this. Driving back to Boulder from Denver I had some time to reflect upon the night as a whole. Seeing people so enthusiastic and inspired about clothing resulted in me asking myself “What is my passion?” It’s a question I’m still struggling to answer. It has stimulated a sense of urgency for me to continue to do the things that I love. With that, I will leave with this closing quote:

“Those who danced were thought to be quite

insane by those who could not hear the music.”

                  -Angela Monet

Find what inspires you and do it,
Ned Hamilton