Media & Events

EQUILLIBRIUM will be at Jackalope in Old Town Arvada Oct.2023!
Jackalope Arts Fair - OTA 2023

Enjoy a weekend of shopping featuring over 100 hand-selected artisans. Shoppers can expect to find trendsetting indie goods including original fashion and jewelry design, paper goods, innovative home decor and housewares, art, photography, food, plus much more.  

Dates: Shopping Preview Night: October 13th, 5pm - 10pm | Full Event October 14th & 15th, 2023, 10am - 5pm

Location: Olde Town Arvada, within Olde Town Square, along Old Wads and Grandview Ave. Use 5726 Olde Wadsworth Blvd for directional support.

Details: The festival is FREE to attend. This location is open to all ages and is handicap accessible.


NEXT UP:

October 13th: 5pm -10pm (Shopping Preview Night)

October 14th & 15th: (10am-5pm)


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THE WORLDS OF FASHION AND SK8 COLLIDE 8/6/2022 IN LONG BEACH!
LIMITLESS FASHION SHOW

A skate wear fashion show benefiting local non-profit skate organization on SATURDAY; AUGUST 6, 2022 at Pigeon Roller Rink in LB, CA USA

Equillibrium Sustainable Street Wear is a featured brand... from the CORE for the CORE!

*Get tickets while they last! The link to Limitless Fashion Show's Evite ticket sales on pics below...   

LIMITLESS FASHION SHOW-LONG BEACH AUGUST 2022
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SUPPORT INDEPENDENT ARTISANS FOR THE HOLIDAYS!
EQUILLIBRIUM IS PROUD TO WORK WITH JACKALOPE ARTS AND BE A PART OF THEIR 2020 VIRTUAL HOLIDAY MARKET ...
VOTE WITH YOUR $ AND GIFT WITH INTENTION
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We are busy making masks and will have some up avialable for sale to customers soon!! First, we are donating time and materials to making 100% organic with hemp and bamboo face masks for medical workers on the front lines of fighting the Covid 19 Pandemic... here is one of the Mask efforts we are behind.

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Equillibrium to Show and "Popping up" at 303 Magazine's Denver Fashion Week
Equillibrium will be on the runway the evening of Sunday Nov.10th - at the Forney Museum of Transportation, doors open 4p
There will be an Equillibrium Pop-up for DFW Shop the Runway event on Sunday Nov.17th from 4p-6p
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Equillibrium's next Pop-up (and possibly last for 2019) will be at
Fashion Denver's 15yr Anniversary Fashion Market Celebration on
Sunday 10/13/19
Fashion Denver 15yr Anniversary
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EQUILLIBRIUM + Inspyre Boutique First Friday Art Walk 6/7/19 on Tennyson!
Equillibrium + Inspyre Boutique
Address:
Inspyre Boutique
4170 Tennyson St
Denver, CO 80212
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"Meet Deb Henriksen of Equillibium"
An interview giving the background story on how Equiilibrium came to be the pionering sustainable steet brand it has become today.
by Voyage Denver Magazine
Deb Henriksen with her Fur Babaie, Gnarvik and Jorunn

Today we’d like to introduce you to Deb Henriksen.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Deb. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Growing up, I was very into art and always into fashion. I took a lot of art and sewing classes in Jr. High and High School for my love of drawing and sewing. I also worked retail in high school and after college, from Talbots to Board shops. Another passion was ignited in High School after a science teacher stalked me in the hall she monitored outside the Art Room, begging me to take her Biology Class. I ended up taking college chemistry Senior year in High School and graduated college as an Environmental Health Major in the School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences at Colorado State University in 1995. During college and after graduation, I was also an avid Skateboarder and Snowboarder. I moved up to Breckenridge, completed my internship in Georgetown, and boarded every day for a few seasons before life pressures were felt to do more with my education, my life.

Eventually, I came down the mountain and found a career in Hazardous Waste Management for six years. With my heart in pollution prevention and waste minimization, I began to exit that work in 2002 in pursuit of doing more with consumer education regarding conscious consumption through Equillibrium. The birth of my brand in 2000 started out in the skateboarding Industry, as a brand like no other in that lifestyle market. As I saw most of skateboarding go overseas with cheap price points in mass production and heavy carbon footprints, Equillibrium became more artisan and boutique focussed to stay true to our ethical brand messaging.

Since the recession in 2006-2011 Equillibrium’s focus has been with direct sales on our web site, in our Denver Show Room, and at pop-ups along with speaking engagements to educate consumers on sustainable fashion and environmental activism- especially for our wolves. There is so much power that has cascading effects in the choices we make with consumerism, even the small ones… they all add up, everything is everything all the time. Education to bring awareness/ consciousness is the only engagement that will drive a change in behavior. 95% of change is from a change in behavior. We must do better when it comes to building our wardrobes. “Quality over quantity” and “less is more” are golden rules to apply in life. What is good for the planet is good for people. That is the offering Equillibrium gives in fashion from its CORE and has since day one 19 years ago.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has been very challenging over the years. Being a sustainable fashion brand long before consumers even heard of it has certainly not been easy from sourcing to competition in the market place. Holding a higher price point and not going for cheaper, unsustainable textiles and practices has been hard when watching fast fashion have its rise and people racing to the register to buy in mutliples. The Fashion Industry is one of the World’s top 3 polluters. Other 2 are Fossil Fuels and Agricutlure. Sustainable Fashion is the ONLY fashion I have interest in being a part of. I have found strength and confidence in the relevant niche offering Equillibrium has. No one else can be me and bring what I bring to the table through Equillibrium. That peace of mind is what keeps me going.

A huge challenge brought to attention in recent years is dealing with infringement on my Trademarks on a mass scale. When I started, no one used the word in fashion except me. In fact, people had a hard time pronouncing it for some reason. Today I am dealing with the likes of Gucci and being corporate bullied by them because they will not stop using my intellectual property. Not what I built my brand for from nothing almost 20 years ago. The challenges are real and ever changing at a rapid pace in today’s world. Consumers need to be aware, educated, and activated to feed the brands that feed them back.

Another challenge is staying front of mind in a noisy market place online and in our home City. With growth happening in Colorado, especially Denver, at such a rapid pace and large scale, I am always working hard to stay relevant. It is nice when people get it with little explanation or introduction. However, these days that is usually not the case. I will say consumers are more engaged and educated than they used to be. I actually experience them tuning in more to the sustainability message with my brand than tuning out like the old days. It used to matter more how kool it was coming from skate culture, now that is just an underground plus. I really appreciate that.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
Well, Equillibirum is a Trademarked sustainable street brand that started back in 2000. I specialize in streetwear, both ready to wear and custom pieces made in small batch. I do make dresses and even made my wedding dress and coat. I love making accessories and handbags – also made small batch. I design with zero waste protocols and incorporate life cycle analysis into the design process and materials selection. My Company operated on the Triple Bottom Line philosophy of People, Planet and Profit. Equillibrium donate 10% of direct sales toward sustainability. I am known for being a sustainable fashion designer who is a skate punk for life, professional, good at what I do, reliable, and no B.S. As a Company I am most proud of walking the walk and being a part of the solution with challenges we face in sustainable fashion and conscious consumption. It is an honor to create, curate, and operate a brand with so much to give. As our following grows with new opportunities, I am excited to see what the future has in store. Equillibrium is authentically the real deal with more potential to tap into.

What were you like growing up?
Growing up as a kid, I was a lot of who you see today. Creative, passionate, direct, loyal, determined, and a perfectionist. My interests were clothes, art/ drawing, animals, playing with my siblings and neighbors outside. In Jr. High and High School I became more interested in boys, skiing/ Colorado, Motocross, and Outlaw Country. By sophomore year in H.S., I became obsessed with moving to Colorado for College and only applied to CU Boulder and CSU in Fort Collins. Fort Collins in the early ’90s is where skateboarding became my lifestyle, my skis were traded in for a snowboard, and my first Husky stole my heart. Breckenridge soon became my second home.

I have always been encouraged to listen to and follow my heart by my parents. I am grateful for that. It has led me to know and be true to myself, which has served me well to walk tall through this life.

Contact Info:

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Equillibrium's next Pop-up Event is at 303 Magazine's DFW Pop-up at the beloved McNichols Building on Sunday 4/7 from 10a-3p
Buy tickets at Eventbrite for $10 (complimentary drink with purchase)
303 Magazine's Denver Fashion Week Designer Pop-up
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Denver Style Magazine's feature news story on Gucci's TM Infringement against Equillibrium released on International Women's Day 2019!
Equillibrium accept no substitutes
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Equillibrium's founder, Deb Henriksen, interviewed for story feature on sustainable fashion on The Now by Annie Taylor
Deb Henriksen of Equillibirum interviewed by Annie Taylor for The Now News
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Equillibrium at Jackalope Arts Holiday Market Denver
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Take a listen to Equillibrium's feature in this fab KGNU News Story
(click pic for link):
As part of our series on zero-waste, produced in partnership with Boulder County and Eco-Cycle, KGNU’s Hannah Leigh Myers looked into the world of textile recycling and discovered, regardless of the sharp increase in textile waste, very little used fabric from Colorado and the Front Range is being recycled.
Deb Henriksen of Equillibrium in Denver Show Room
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"TUCK ARMY, TROOP 5280"  announcement : 
DAVE TUCK SKATE JAM FUNDRAISER 4 GRIND FOR LIFE!
7/7/18 Ann Arbor Skate Park. Ann Arbor, MI
Dave Tuck Skate Jam Funraiser 2018
                                                                                                                                                                         Jackalope Arts 2018 Spring Market
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Another feature we are grateful to have,  this time from Denver Style Magazine...
Photo: Noah Berger
Denver Style Magazine feature on Equillibrium
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Equillibrium Creator and CEO get Slow Fashion feature in The Boulder Weekly!
Equillibrium CEO Deb Henriksen
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Equillibrium's Holiday Pop-up
at the Jackalope Arts Fest
McNichols Building Downtown Denver
December 9th and 10th,  10a-5p
Jackelope Arts Fair at McNichols Building with Equillibrium Holiday 2017
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303 Magazine write up: "The Rise of Sow Fashion" by Jennifer Tom
Equillibrium Sustainable Street Brand feature in 303 Magazine
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EQ accepted an invitation to show at the 2017 Colorado Tattoo Convention and
sell our capsule collection in a booth space for the day...  look for us if you go!
Equillibrium is showing on SATURDAY 9.30.17 at 6p

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EQUILLIBRIUM is excited to be a part of pioneering the slow fashion
movement and see it growing!  Come out to BEAUTIFUL Vail, CO during
a time when the Aspens will be at their peak gold and see the treasures
on display.  Build your wardrobe with sustainable style and timeless appeal!
Slow Fashion Vail mentioned a possible Q/A at the Equillibrium Pop-up
to discuss ethical fashion and production!! We are always excited
to share our experiences,  insight, and perspective on the subject.

Equillibrium at Slow Fashion Vail

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Denver Punk Rock Flea Market
 

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Jackelope Arts Fair at McNichols Building with Equillibrium

 

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Equillibrium's next Runway Appearance will be at this fabulous event that celebrates the Arts in our home City of Denver, Colorado!!! 
Denver Westword's Whiteout Fashion Show at Artopia
Denver Westword Whiteout at Artopia
Artopia, Westword's annual celebration of art, culture and fashion, is taking it to the streets in 2017! On Saturday, February 25, City Hall will be the site of the artiest party of the year. While they sample cocktails and listen to street sounds from some of Denver’s best DJs and musicians, party-goers can explore themed spaces curated by Artopia 2017 curator Jolt and dedicated to four of Denver’s most iconic streets – Larimer, Santa Fe, Federal and Colfax – and street artists.            

Denver’s designers will show their street smarts, too, during the Whiteout fashion show that’s become an annual highlight of Artopia. D'Lola Couture, Equillibrium, Mona Lucero, Gino Velardi, Elyse Rainbolt, AnnaFesta, Blackberry Maverick, Denver Bespoke and Jiberish will be revving up the runway this year, working with style teams and models from Matthew Morris Salon and skincare, Well Beauty Co. and Wilhelmina Denver.
Denver Westword Whiteout at Artopia
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EQUILLIBRIUM'S second and last POP-UP this Holiday Season is here:
Denver Punk Rock Flea Market Holiday Edition
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Come out for an evening in RiNO to #shopSMALL at Green Spaces Dec8 from 6-8p.
  -FROST is Fashion Denver's 10th Holiday Market- 
Proceeds from our sales go toward the fight in Standing Rock! #NoDAPL  #WATERisLIFE
Fashion Denver Holiday Market "Frost" at Green Spaces
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LOVE is LOVE
Equillibrium  "All the ARMS WE NEED" print
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This June,  Dave Tuck will be celebrated in his hometown of Ann Arbor, MI.  
TA div5280 is in full support! TUCK LOVE!!! 
SK8 and DESTROY...
Dave Tuck Skate Jam
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Denver PRFM 2016
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EQUILLIBRIUM

"Tequila Sunrise"Collection at Denver Westword's premier Whiteout 2016 Fashion Show

Photography by Robin Fulton
Models Wilhelmina Denver

A look from Equillibrium's "Tequila Sunrise" Collection 2017 debuting at Whiteout 2016 Denver, CO

The Finale Line Up for the Equillibrium segment, "Tequilla Sunrise" 2017

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FASHION AT ARTOPIA 2015'S WHITEOUT: MEET DEB HENRIKSEN, FOUNDER OF EQUILLIBRIUM 

 

http://www.equillibrium.com
Westword's Artopia now includes Whiteout, our annual fashion show. In advance of this year's art extravaganza, which is coming down on February 21 at City Hall, we checked in with the seven designers and boutiques that will be part of the Alice in Wonderland-themed Whiteout to ask what they have in store for the show. Read on for the answers from designer Deb Henriksen, founder of Equillibrium, and see some of her runway fashions.

See also: Westword Whiteout: Deb Henriksen, designer and owner of Equillibrium

Westword: How did you get into fashion/design?

Deb Henriksen: Fashion has always stoked me out. My home economics class in middle school showed me how to run a sewing machine. Then modeling as a teen and working in fashion retail during high school expanded my experience in the industry. I worked retail off and on as a young adult at local skateboard and snowboard shops. I even worked at a Betsey Johnson boutique. Now I only work retail at pop-up shops for Equillibrium and run Equillibrium's showroom boutique in our shop.

 

http://www.equillibrium.com

Photo by: Westword: Equillibrium in Whiteout at Artopia 2015

How do you describe your style/work?

I'd say my style is Equillibrium's style, which is timeless, cool, balanced, conscious and focused on, quality not quantity. I don't skimp on detail or proper finishes for selected fabrics. [My designs are] well-constructed, sustainable, authentic, consistent, functional and bitchin'!

What should people know about what you'll be showing at Artopia?

There will be some new silhouettes I haven't made before and a new skull graphic will be debuting! We will hit the runway hard to rock you -- as always.

What's your favorite thing about the Denver art/fashion/design scene?

A good sense of community is important in any "scene." Even this lone wolf appreciates that infrastructure, and Denver has it. I've lived in Colorado for over 24 years and I'm not going anywhere! I make it work, and try not to allow any "scene" to frustrate me.

[Fashion] is a tough Industry everywhere, and not getting any easier. I am appreciative for all the support I get from Denver and Westword.

 

http://www.equillibrium.com
Photo by: Westword: Equillibrium in Whiteout at Artopia 2015

What's the one thing that could most improve the Denver art/fashion/design scene?

If there were more synergy working together in efforts to advance or mature the community. There are always people new to the community who think they'll put it on the map, which usually is counter-productive to moving things forward. The effects are more like a holding pattern. One simple example of working together is with scheduling events staggered rather than at the same time or on same night. An example of this was last year, with 303's Denver Fashion Week and the City of Denver's Arts Week competing for the fashion crowd the same weekend. Everyone has their own agenda, and I wish they worked together more to realize opportunities for greater strides and bigger impacts forward.

 

http://www.equillibrium.com
Photo by: Westword: Equillibrium in Whiteout at Artopia 2015

Anything else you'd like to share with our readers?

Equillibrium is a sustainable-street wear brand, specializing in men's and women's apparel, handbags and accessories, established in 2000 in Denver, Colorado.

Find out more about Equillibrium here. Buy $20 general admission tickets to Westword's Artopia, which now includes the Whiteout fashion show, for just $20 here -- use the showandtell promo code.

Equillibrium at Denver Westword's Artopia in Whiteout 2015
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Denver designers present Whiteout fashion show

Colorado Style Editor
...First out were designs by Deb Henriksen of Equillibrium, who designs for an edgy urban girl like herself. Her look is tough chic but the looks were put together in sophisticated ways, like a denim motorcycle jacket, knit miniskirt, jersey hoody and goatskin bag, accessorized with black suede shoes from the South Broadway boutique True Love. Read full article...
Outfit  from Equillibrium. (Photo By AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
Outfit from Equillibrium.
(Photo By AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
Westword Whiteout
Fashion (Westword)
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WESTWORD WHITEOUT: DEB HENRIKSEN, DESIGNER AND OWNER OF EQUILLIBRIUM

 

http://www.equillibrium.com
Deb Henriksen and Oslo.
Photo by Robin Johnson

On January 30, the second annual Westword Whiteout will kick off Denver's 2014 fashion season at the McNichols Building. The evening -- which raises funds for the American Transplant Association -- will include live music, specialty vendors, classic cocktails and some of the city's top designers in a signature runway event. Over the past few weeks, we've been profiling some of the creative people who are contributing to Whiteout, including Deb Henriksen, designer and owner of Equillibrium. Henriksen sets the standard for designers when it comes to the production of sustainable fashion; she recently took time out to answer a few of our questions about fashion, sustainability and Whiteout.

See also: Whiteout Fashion Show 2014

Westword: Tell us about yourself: Where are you from, and how you did you get into fashion?

Deb Henriksen: I was born and raised in Chicago. I moved out to Colorado in 1990 to attend Colorado State University (1990-­1994), lived up in Breck (1995-­1996), and then Denver (1997). There was more opportunity for skateboarding and environmental work around Denver back then.

I feel fashion is something that has grabbed me since childhood. I always got emotion from clothes and had a desire to make my own. I stuck only with art and sewing until Mrs. Kent (a biology teacher) got me so sign up for her class sophomore year...I was taking college chemistry by senior year and officially started using that left side of my brain with the right.

I actually graduated CSU with a B.S. in Environmental Health from the School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences and I am a current Accredited Professional with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design in Building Design and Construction (LEED AP BD+C) with the U.S. Green Building Council... so I continue my education in science and sustainability to this day while making art.

What was the first thing you every designed/made?

The patchwork pillow project in seventh-grade home economics class...

 


Photo: WestWord; Equillibrium in Whiteout 2014.

What inspires you?

Nature -­‐ every bit of her!! Music, natural textiles: organics, silks, hemps, linens, cotton. Brilliant designers, advocating for the little guy and science, walking the line: standing upright, speaking truth, being fair... .It is all about hitting the right emotion through apparel to inspire me. Then figuring out the how to do it kicks in...

What is your take on the fashion scene in Denver. What is good, what's bad, what needs work?

It has come a long way since I've been a part of it. In 2004, I got on the map through Equillibrium. I have noticed it grow over the years. As new people move into town wanting a relevant part of Denver's success, there have been times when ego worked against a desired direction and momentum. Some dust has certainly settled, so we'll see what is to come. My focus is, and will remain, on my brand, Equillibrium, that will always be Colorado-based.

Why are you looking forward to participating in Westword's Whiteout?

I like and need deadlines. A well-­produced runway show is my favorite kind of deadline. The timing works well with the industry timeline's, too -- consumers in the audience will actually see some Equillibrium pieces inspired for 2015 that I'll be showing. There are only two consumer fashion shows a year I like and will do. Whiteout is one of them. Thanks for inviting Equillibrium back again!!

 


Photo: WestWord; Equillibrium in Whiteout 2014.

What can we expect to see from you on the runway?

Smart, well-­made, sustainable street fashions that will make you feel empowered, beautiful and happy through the Equillibrium blend of hard meets soft with a lowbrow twist and high fashion flair!

*No animals are ever harmed for Equillibrium products. We use natural and organic textiles, vintage and close-out fashion textiles, vintage and upcycled (diverted from landfill) non-­exotic hides: cow and goat mainly (some with fur).

*All Equillibrium ready-­‐to-­wear goods are printed, labeled, designed and branded in Denver, Colorado.

*All Equillibrium Kustoms are handmade treasures made in Denver.

EQUILLIBRIUM: From the CORE, for the CORE! LIVE IT, LOVE IT, WEAR IT!"

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EQUILLIBRIUM CLOTHING REPRESENTS SUSTAINABILTY AT DFW 2013 

 

http://www.equillibrium.com
Equillibrium Shield Logo
Keesee
What do you get when you combine a street rider with Mother Nature? You get Deb Henriksen, designer and owner of Equillibrium Clothing, one of the featured designers at Denver Fashion Weekend that starts Saturday, November 9.

See alsoCharlie Price, producing style for 303's Denver Fashion Weekend

Henriksen's philosophy of creating ethically fabricated designs "gives my customers a product that is from the core," she says. With a degree from Colorado State University in Environmental Health, Earth Mother Deb embraced sustainability long before the concept entered the mainstream. One of the co-creators of Red Drinks, a style night for networking in the Fashion Industry in Denver; inspired from Green Drinks, a sustainability night for networking in the Green Building industry. Deb, also a member of the class of 2006 class of MasterMinds invited us into her creative space to catch up.

Westword: The concept of Equillibrium began to take shape in 1998 and you are an original champion of sustainability. How are things working with sustainable fashions?

Deb Henriksen: There has been a lot of movement over the past few years, but there is still a lot of educating that needs to be done on the topic. I was able to find something I was passionate about; Equillibrium is where my kind of lifestyle, art, activism, music, and fashion collide. There are still folks who are not mindful of their footprint. You have to take responsibility of what you put out there.

How have you grown with the sustainability movement?

I'm big on up-cycling materials (aka landfill diversion), pollution prevention and waste minimization. Equilllibirum will continue to focus on quality, not quantity and consumer education. The brand is growing; we have a sales rep now, and as it does we will our philosophy of producing on a smaller scale. With regards to sustainability trends in fashion, we always continue our education on the latest in sustainability and research advancements on sustainable textile manufactured regularly.

 


Photo: 303 Magazine; F/W DFW 2013 Equillibrium.

Deb, this is a question we try to ask all of our designers: What do think of the fashion community in Denver?

We should all be on the same team. There are too many ringleaders under the big top; there needs to be more cooperation, especially around events and shows. We have a lot of talent in Denver but there are some who don't realize the way we can make an impact is by unified numbers. We need to have industry standards. You should conduct yourself in a professional manner and if you are conducting business, you have to be able to deliver at that level. There will always be people who are trying too hard, polishing a turd; where everything is overdone, and the result doesn't look professional. Equillibrium is not one of those brands I think out every detail from the design I create to tag lines repeatedly used over the years. Consistency and progression as a brand is crucial to survival.

 


Accessories from Equillibrium.

 


Fashions from Equillibirum

What can we expect from Equillibrium at DFW?

They'll look bad ass!

Denver Fashion Weekend runs November 9-10 at City Hall Amphitheater, 1144 Broadway. Tickets are available at 303Magazine.com.

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West Word 2006 Fashion Master Mind

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