In honor of
Colorado Fashion Week
Carol Mier Fashion
Living, Working & Creating from Home
Santa Fe Arts District pioneer, business owner & fashion designer, Carol Mier, is the very embodiment of the Thriving Artist Alliance's Live/Work ideal to build wealth with real estate. In 1998, back before First Fridays & before El Taco de Mexico had a fancy location on the corner, Carol took a chance and bought an old machine shop on Santa Fe Drive with the dream of converting it into a creative tri-fecta: retail space to sell her clothing designs, studio space to create in, and her home. Carol has been designing cloths since she was 12 years old and been making her living at it for the past 20 years.
LA: Would you share with me the story of getting into this building? What was this place like when you bought it?
CAROL: It was a greasy machine shop full of machines, old equipment, metal flakes everywhere. The minute I walked in that first time I knew this was the place for me. I basically came in with a blow torch. We had the seller move all the old machines out before closing on the purchase, then I had to do the rest. We pulled out the drop ceilings, tore down walls, built the loft that is now my living quarters, re-painted everything, updated the electrical, removed an old roof mounted swamp cooler, added insulation, all in the first month after closing on the property. Then I moved in and finished it little-by-little.
LA: Would you share a bit about the financing of it all?
CAROL: Sure. I knew it was a big risk &, yes, I was scared but I also knew I could do it. The owner gave me financing for the first 5 years with a balloon payment at the end of that period. I paid a bit over $100,000 for it back in 1998. A recent appraisal valued it at more than 3 times that.
LA: How has owning your real estate effected you & your business?
CAROL: It is a wonderful feeling knowing I have accomplished ownership of a building that I can work, play live in and show my art work in.
I'm in the hub of the Santa Fe Art District, and I was also one of founding artists. Which gives me pride. Having a permanent location with an affordable monthly payment and knowing that I'm building equity gives me enormous piece of mind. My clients know where to find me and are comfortable coming here. I'm also part of a fantastic community, the Santa Fe Arts District! Our First & Third Friday Art Walks bring a steady stream of potential new clients. And I am free to program the space as I choose, showcasing my fashion of course as well as other artists' furniture, jewelry, paintings as I desire.
LA: I know you have dressed the likes of former First Lady, Dottie Lamb, award winning actress Cynthia James, Lon Van Eaton who recorded George Harrison, Paul McCarty and that you made the inaugural outfit for former city council person, Carla Madison to name a few. Your cloths are in boutiques around the country, including the Denver Art Museum and you've even designed costumes for Kim Robards Dance. Tell me about your fashion designs.
CAROL: I create basics, all one-of-a-kind pieces that pay attention to the shape, color, and style that compliment the wearer and are geared toward helping clients create their own style trend. I suppose my signature piece are my patchwork jackets. I love to re-purpose & re-style items from the client's own closet or things I find at second hand shops so they work better for today's styles. I love helping clients work within a budget. Say you come to me with $500, I can maximize that money so you get several pieces that all mix & match into multiple outfits. My clothes move easily from casual to work to evening. Prices run between $20 for earrings to $49-$79 for tops & dresses, to $300 for coats, and all prices in between.
LA: I know the pieces I've bought from you are amazingly flexible, they wash, wear & pack easily. My favorite piece is my purple, crushed-silk, elephant bell-bottomed pants. They make me feel hip & glamorous when I wear them.
You can see Carol's designs on the runway during Colorado Fashion Week.
For more on Carol's fashion visit: www.carolmierfashion.com
Shop Hours: Thurs-Sat 12:00-5:00
She's also open for First & Third Friday Art Walks
754 Santa Fe Dr. Denver, 80204
303-446-0117
Colorado Fashion Week
Carol Mier Fashion
Living, Working & Creating from Home
Santa Fe Arts District pioneer, business owner & fashion designer, Carol Mier, is the very embodiment of the Thriving Artist Alliance's Live/Work ideal to build wealth with real estate. In 1998, back before First Fridays & before El Taco de Mexico had a fancy location on the corner, Carol took a chance and bought an old machine shop on Santa Fe Drive with the dream of converting it into a creative tri-fecta: retail space to sell her clothing designs, studio space to create in, and her home. Carol has been designing cloths since she was 12 years old and been making her living at it for the past 20 years.
LA: Would you share with me the story of getting into this building? What was this place like when you bought it?
CAROL: It was a greasy machine shop full of machines, old equipment, metal flakes everywhere. The minute I walked in that first time I knew this was the place for me. I basically came in with a blow torch. We had the seller move all the old machines out before closing on the purchase, then I had to do the rest. We pulled out the drop ceilings, tore down walls, built the loft that is now my living quarters, re-painted everything, updated the electrical, removed an old roof mounted swamp cooler, added insulation, all in the first month after closing on the property. Then I moved in and finished it little-by-little.
LA: Would you share a bit about the financing of it all?
CAROL: Sure. I knew it was a big risk &, yes, I was scared but I also knew I could do it. The owner gave me financing for the first 5 years with a balloon payment at the end of that period. I paid a bit over $100,000 for it back in 1998. A recent appraisal valued it at more than 3 times that.
LA: How has owning your real estate effected you & your business?
CAROL: It is a wonderful feeling knowing I have accomplished ownership of a building that I can work, play live in and show my art work in.
I'm in the hub of the Santa Fe Art District, and I was also one of founding artists. Which gives me pride. Having a permanent location with an affordable monthly payment and knowing that I'm building equity gives me enormous piece of mind. My clients know where to find me and are comfortable coming here. I'm also part of a fantastic community, the Santa Fe Arts District! Our First & Third Friday Art Walks bring a steady stream of potential new clients. And I am free to program the space as I choose, showcasing my fashion of course as well as other artists' furniture, jewelry, paintings as I desire.
LA: I know you have dressed the likes of former First Lady, Dottie Lamb, award winning actress Cynthia James, Lon Van Eaton who recorded George Harrison, Paul McCarty and that you made the inaugural outfit for former city council person, Carla Madison to name a few. Your cloths are in boutiques around the country, including the Denver Art Museum and you've even designed costumes for Kim Robards Dance. Tell me about your fashion designs.
CAROL: I create basics, all one-of-a-kind pieces that pay attention to the shape, color, and style that compliment the wearer and are geared toward helping clients create their own style trend. I suppose my signature piece are my patchwork jackets. I love to re-purpose & re-style items from the client's own closet or things I find at second hand shops so they work better for today's styles. I love helping clients work within a budget. Say you come to me with $500, I can maximize that money so you get several pieces that all mix & match into multiple outfits. My clothes move easily from casual to work to evening. Prices run between $20 for earrings to $49-$79 for tops & dresses, to $300 for coats, and all prices in between.
LA: I know the pieces I've bought from you are amazingly flexible, they wash, wear & pack easily. My favorite piece is my purple, crushed-silk, elephant bell-bottomed pants. They make me feel hip & glamorous when I wear them.
You can see Carol's designs on the runway during Colorado Fashion Week.
For more on Carol's fashion visit: www.carolmierfashion.com
Shop Hours: Thurs-Sat 12:00-5:00
She's also open for First & Third Friday Art Walks
754 Santa Fe Dr. Denver, 80204
303-446-0117
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