For the first time in its history, Swim & Resort Wear appeared on the Denver Fashion Week runway. This show took place opening weekend of the Spring 2025 season, setting the stage for a season of meticulous design, innovative style and good, clean fun.
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At this theme’s debut, five swimwear designers showed unique collections, including MONASHAY, Beach Haus, My Generation, Brasileida and MurMade Swimwear.
The show was hosted by Julie Baker of KXRM-TV. Baker was dressed by My Generation, a featured designer of the evening and the only swimwear brand to have previously shown at Denver Fashion Week.
Before kicking off the night’s entertainment, Baker announced four winners from the Denver Fashion Week Awards. Based on audience vote, the winners included: Dom Baca, Male Model of the Year; Awa Souaré, Female Model of the Year; FashioNation, Boutique of the year, and The Boogeyman’s Closet, Designer of the Year.
These esteemed awards were presented after a neck-and-neck voting cycle, ultimately recognizing a continued commitment to high fashion, creativity and representing Denver’s fashion community with professionalism and passion.
Once the winners were issued their trophies, CLEOPATRA took the runway as the night’s entertainer. As a winner of the DFW Entertainment Challenge, CLEOPATRA put on a breathtaking performance, showcasing both stunning natural talent and magnetic stage presence.
When CLEOPATRA closed her performance (much too soon), the lights dimmed and DFW history was made as Swim & Resort Wear took the runway for the very first time.
MONASHAY
MONASHAY is swimwear for the coolest people you know. As the first of the night, MONASHAY set a high bar immediately, showing two full collections. Models quick-changed halfway through the segment, returning to the runway for a fast-paced display of seriously edgy swimwear.
Both collections were made up of solid colors and classic patterns in daring silhouettes: high-cut body suits, string bikinis and cheeky bottoms. Tattoos and muscles were on full display, adding a raw energy to the already bold pieces. The looks were equal parts sleek and sultry, and MONASHAY’s unapologetic attitude came through in every detail, complemented by tough accessories like bandanas, biker boots, bolo ties and cowboy hats. If audience’s weren’t already convinced that Denver Fashion Week’s Swim & Resort Wear show was going to be anything but traditional, MONASHAY made that clear with their opening collection.
Beach Haus
If the previous collection set the bar, Beach Haus kept it sky high. Designed by Priscilla Varner, the Beach Hause collection utilized bold, statement accessories to create cohesion amongst a collection that ranged from studded body suits and daring mesh accents to colorful prints and playful sequins. The collection ended with four gothic-inspired looks made up of black lace, pops of red, leather and spikes. Despite the range in aesthetics, this collection felt anything but sloppy. Instead, Varner and her team showed that “doing it all” really is possible, crafting each look with intentionality and a winking acknowledgement that swim and resort wear can anything we want it to be.
READ: Meet The Designers For Swim & Resort Wear: DFW’s Newest Runway Show
My Generation
Speaking of range, My Generation brought a fearless mix of silhouettes to the runway that pushed beyond the usual swimwear script. The collection spanned everything from long-sleeve suits and t-shirt dresses to barely-there bikinis, low-slung trunks, and flowy pants — every piece made to stand out, not blend in.
But what truly set this segment apart was the casting: a full-spectrum lineup of bodies, genders, ages and energies. Different heights, builds and personal aesthetics were all united by two things: a shimmer of body glitter and a wild, contagious sense of fun. As the first swimwear brand to show at Denver Fashion Week at Spring 2024, designer Ashleigh Perri’s official Swim & Resort Wear appearance continued her statement-making legacy, reminding us all what fashion can look like when no one’s playing by the rules.
Brasileida
Brasileida took a more traditional route for his Denver Fashion Week debut, but don’t mistake that for playing it safe. Designed by Evan J. Newman, Brasileida leaned into the classics — string bikinis, curve-hugging one-pieces, and sleek trunks — but elevated them with a thoughtful eye for detail. Crochet accents, graphic prints, shell embellishments and a mix of rich textures gave each piece depth and dimension, while thoughtful accessories like delicate body chains and oversized earrings brought a hint of poolside glamour to the sun-soaked aesthetic.
The result was a collection that honored timeless swim silhouettes without feeling shackled to the past. Brasileida proved that tradition, when handled with care and craft, can still turn heads.
MurMade Swimwear
MurMade Swimwear closed out the night on a high, dreamy note that was perfectly in sync with the brand’s playful wordplay. Designed by Muriel Langdon, the collection seemed to crawl right from a mermaid’s cove, thanks to iridescent fabrics, flowing lines and silhouettes that suggested more than they showed. The modest cuts of the collection were reimagined with clever slashes and cut-outs, offering a balance of elegance and mystique.
Unexpected styling choices — like teal boots with a gold suit and accessories that ranged from delicate to stand-out — pushed the looks beyond the myth, adding personality without overwhelming the designs. The result was a collection that nodded to its namesake inspiration without getting lost in it: dreamy, distinctive and entirely its own.
From honoring Denver Fashion Week awardees to showcasing every aesthetic imaginable, Denver Fashion Week’s first-ever Swim & Resort Wear show didn’t just meet expectations — it exceeded them. The opening weekend set the bar for more stunning collections to come throughout the week, promising more bold designs and high energy to come.
All photography by Weston Mosburg. Denver Fashion Week Spring 2025 takes place May 10-18, 2025 at The Brighton at 3403 Brighton Boulevard Denver, CO 80216. Tickets can be purchased here.
