Since starting her own startup handbag business at the age of 23, Shigley has become a staple of the cultural scene in Denver, contributing to its fashion and music scenes. As the founder and CEO of Fashion Denver, Shigley’s seen the company grow into a regional collective that draws input from designers and artists from across the state; as the lead singer and keyboard player in b.sous, she’s made waves in the homegrown music scene with her unique brand of riff-driven romantic pop.
As much as she belongs to Denver cultural scene, Shigley, 34, is also apt to detail her personal history, how she was born in the Philippines and adopted by an American family when she 16 months old.
Considering her stints living in Southern California and her success selling handbags in boutiques in Paris and London, Shigley’s background seems all the more complex.
But Shigley is straightforward when she speaks about her home base.
“Aurora is where I grew up,” Shigley said from the Fashion Denver headquarters in Denver, a 1,400-square-foot space that includes office space and a showroom. “From the age of 6 1/2 to 22, I lived in the same house near Trails West ... My teachers at Smoky Hill High School definitely made a big impact, growing up at Trails West and being in girls ensemble definitely reflects who I am as a musician in my adult life.”
While Shigley’s creative influence has grown beyond her roots in Aurora, she’s still committed to finding local talent from her old digs. Fashion Denver’s upcoming summer fashion market titled “Enchantment” will feature designs from several native Aurora artists, as well as other contributors from across the state. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 11 at 770 Pennsylvania St. in Denver, featuring jewelry, accessories and clothing by local designers.
“It’s a seasonal event. The point is to really showcase our local talents in a historical place in Denver,” Shigley said, referring to the event’s base at the Grant Humphreys Mansion. “It’s where the public can not only learn and shop through our local designers, they can also learn a little bit of history ... Designers will be from Aurora, Blackhawk, Broomfield, Thornton ... They know about Fashion Denver.”
For Lesley Arden, the Fashion Denver forum has proved to be a launching point for a new career as a designer. Arden, 40, started designing tutus more than a year ago for her two daughters.
“I have two little girls, a 5-year-old and a 2-year-old. In doing tutus, you would want something specific. It seemed that when we looked for something, they were a little bit cheesy,” said Arden, an Aurora resident. “A lot of it was just for play.”
Just a year later, Arden has started wholesaling her products to stores in the metro area, and also has launched her own limited liability company called House of Arden. Arden, whose tutus hang in the Fashion Denver gallery, said that connecting with a network of like-minded artists has helped her form new ambitions.
“Brandi’s been great. I think I have an idea on how to do the children’s market. My tutus are a little bit more expensive — they’re really full. Fashion Denver has definitely got me into more of an urban market, which is where they need to be, just a lot of really positive feedback,” Arden said. “This is something I do want to make into my full-time job to replace the day job,” she added, referring to her current post in commercial insurance.
Arden said connecting with Shigley, a fellow artist with roots in Aurora, has opened her eyes to a thriving local fashion community.
“Between having the daytime job and working on tutus until 11:30 at night, and two kids, it makes it a little (harder). That’s why I think people like Brandi are great. I definitely want to take this outside of Colorado,” Arden said. “It’s an interesting thing. When you’re out in the suburbs, it seems like everybody is out here to raise their kids ... (But) there’s a gal that I just found, researching, that is actually out here who has the baby T-shirts. There’s someone right down the street who’s doing what I’m doing.”
Arden’s recent shift in career goals aligns with Shigley’s general philosophy, an approach she’s taken since she started her first handbag business at the age of 23.
“I realized while making handbags that the thing I was most passionate about was the business aspect of things. By being able to share what I learned from having my own handbag business, that’s what I’m most passionate about is seeing other people do what they love,” Shigley said. “It goes back to my whole motto of, ‘Do what you love, love what you do.’”
From: http://www.aurorasentinel.com/
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