A Tale of Two Designers

Boulder's Colleen Vistara's fashion available around town
By Marian Rothschild For the Camera
Posted: 04/09/2010 08:17:30 AM MDT

From the Eileen Fisher spring collection, Rumpled Cotton Steel Trench Coat in Bone ($258), Organic Linen and Sequins Shaped Cami Dress with Pleats in Natural ($248), Fringed Wrap in Linen Cotton Glimmer in Pearl/ Silver ($158).

Several years ago when the Boulder boutique Holiday and Company was located on 11th Street, they displayed in the window a gorgeous aqua cashmere long-sleeved wrap-around sweater by international fashion designer Eileen Fisher. After trying it on and putting it on hold, I went home and told my husband that his shopping for my birthday was done; I had found what I wanted. The timeless elegance, comfort, and color of that sweater make it still one of my favorite items in my closet.

I wore that sweater a few weeks ago when I attended an Eileen Fisher fashion show in Denver. Fisher was there in person and she spoke to the audience before the models hit the runway to explain her newly expanded line.

From Colleen Vistara's Peacerobe collection, Twilight Tank ($58), Yoga Jean ($82), Energy Scarf ($44).

"We've expanded our assortment and reached out to a broader market. The new young designers in the company reorganized our creative process with a variety of shapes, colors, fabrics, even glitter." Fisher shared that even her sixteen-year old daughter is now wearing the skinny jeans, vests, scarves, and beaded tunic tops put out by the Eileen Fisher label.

Inspired by Japanese kimonos and Japanese shapes, Fisher's clothes are about freedom, comfort, ease, and high quality fabrics. "We are keeping our same ideals, but we're also conscious of trends. We still have lots of loose pieces, but they can be belted, and we've added fitted tops and skinny pants."

Much of the Eileen Fisher line is loose-fitting and comes in neutral colors like grey, bone, and black. But my favorite new pieces that came down the runway were in deep plum, scarlet red, and a chartreuse silk scarf that`s soft as butter. Check out the new Eileen Fisher pieces for spring at Saks Fifth Avenue in Denver, and Nordstrom's at the Flatirons Crossing Mall.

Boulder has its own local fashion designer, Colleen Vistara, who considers herself "a product of Boulder" and has been creating clothing since 1991. Her flowy, yoga-inspired pants, tops, dresses, and scarves are made for comfort and movement from socially sustainable, organic stretch fabrics like cotton/lycra, rayon/lycra, and stretch net. "Everything can be worn for yoga or dance class, but it doesn`t look like regular workout wear; it has more elegance and femininity," Vistara says.