Today I wanted to feature Lea McComas, a long time quilter and a friend I met at the Denver Quilt art show many years ago. I absolutely love her work. She “paints” with thread and creates these wonderful wall hangings that are very dimensional and realistic.

Lea just won an award at the Lakewood Cultural Center where her work was featured. I always enjoy seeing her work up close and got that opportunity on opening night this past May.

I was flattered that she wore a Brooks LTD silk jacket, which gave me the idea to blog about her! Her jacket is 100% silk and is hand painted by Wildrose Hamilton, another collaborative effort! You can see how I am all about color!

Lea’s work has deep-rooted meaning along with being delightfully creative and compassionate. Everyday life events thread painted onto canvas’ with emotion, depth and form.

Last fall we collaborated on a fun project. Lea approached me because, like myself, she saves every little fabric detail. We chatted about appliqueing her pieces onto my designs. It was fun to play with her artistic fabric choices. My designs with her appliques. Here are just a few examples of our work together:

We always have fun when we meet up. Laughter is part of our sharing of life stories. I love it when long lasting relationships begin in unexpected places. Here we are both wearing similar looks from my limited-edition collection, everyday pieces for everyday people! That’s one of the things I strive for in my limited editions.

Be sure to check out Lea’s web site, you’ll be amazed at the depth of her work. It’s inspiring to me!

Looking for unique clothing to wear to a special event?

If you’re looking for a truly artful lifestyle creation, a creative gala or party dress, unique wedding dress,  or an elegant mother of the bride dress,  reach out to Brooks LTD for a design that suits you and fits perfectly! Contact me online or call 303-573-3801.  

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Red Taffeta Shirtwaist Gown with defined waistline and full skirt.

I met the Editor of the magazine, Elizabeth Hamilton, several years ago. We connected with one another, as we both have a love of fashion. Elizabeth has been in the fashion industry for over 20 years and she has been modeling for Donna Baldwin Agency, the largest full service talent agency in Colorado, since 1994. You can read more about her on the magazine’s website here.

Between my former retail shop in Cherry Creek North, being a Colorado native, and having a love for animals, I was described as a perfect fit for being featured in Cherry Creek Now Magazine.

The pieces for the photoshoot were all inspired by my belief that women should be able to dress fashionably in the countryside and cityscape. I primarily used fabrics in the designs that can be intermixed and re-combined to create unique looks. Some of my favorite fabrics used in these pieces include crisp taffeta, lycra ponte, laser cut pleather, French lace, and Italian cellophane bonded fabric.

I believe the utilitarian shirtwaist style dress will be a staple in one’s wardrobe, so why not make it in a luxurious fabric? The simple sheath and the trendy jumpsuit are pieces to add to your current wardrobe.  Add a baseball cut “truth” jacket over any of these pieces and you can be at a gala or a country outing. 

To see the entire Black & Red collection online, visit my Lookbooks page. You can also head on over to see the full spread in the online magazine. 

As always, these shoots take a village. I could not have had a better team to execute this fabulous high fashion spread. Many thanks to:

Stylist: Mary Spicer 

Photographer: Hardy Klahold 

Models: Christine Olyer

Janina Lawrence

Mallory High

Hair: Mark Gallegos 

Makeup: Bethany Joy Geraghty 

Venue:  TAHA Suri Alpaca Ranch 

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Internship in the world of fashion is a much needed area to be explored. I have been lucky enough to teach several students the back-side of my clothing design business.

My latest intern was a high school student at Evergreen High School, named Hannah. She approached me at a perfect time, since I was preparing for my semi-annual trunk show and she was preparing a capstone collection for her senior project. As they say, timing is everything!

In preparation for the show, I had several pieces that were going to be set for production. Hannah helped me transfer paper patterns into hard copies.

Hannah also assisted me with adding detailed items to my hand-painted shirts, which was a huge help!

Not only was Hannah interested in the ins and outs of my fashion business, but she was also a perfect model to showcase my garments for my new online shop! She understands the aesthetic I’m going for. We had her wear jeans with the tops, and we were suddenly off and running to showcase the new collection online!

I even had her spin as I recorded a video to be used for my social media handles! See the video below:

I also thought it was very timely that the Denver Art Museum’s fashion illustration show was going on during her internship! Hannah joined me and a friend one afternoon touring the show of Jim Howard, a contemporary colleague of mine where we share a lot of common interests. It was truly awe-inspiring to see his work on display at the museum, and Hannah was one lucky girl to be able to see the show!

At the end of Hannah’s 15-hour internship, I was invited to preview the senior capstone collections at her school. I loved being able to chat with the students about their futures and seeing how important creating capstone collections are in our local high schools.

Hannah was truly a delight to educate in the world of fashion. I trust that she will pursue the career of her dreams, and I am hopeful that fashion will fit into her career choice someday and that I had some influence on her choice of direction.

Good luck, Hannah!

Internships are time consuming, but I absolutely enjoy giving back to potential people interested in the field. Since it is a one-on-one situation, I am only able to take a limited number of students each year. If I can help with a career choice, it makes me feel like I am doing my job in the world of fashion. Oh, and we also know how to have a good time while we’re at it!

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