Written by B.K. Phillips
Photographs by Fabian lopez
My mother’s love for fashion never materialized into closets full of designer labels or a walk-in with shelves of designer shoes with hardly a worn heel. In her heyday, my mother was a tall, gorgeous woman with a great figure, who deserved to be on a runway. Like a song ties you to a certain moment in time, Dena Burton’s designs brought me face to face with the moment I fell in love with fashion. My mother’s collection of fashion magazines kept me occupied on international flights as a kid and little did I realize how much I was learning about clothing design, trends, and structure. I don’t believe my mother’s intentions were to introduce me to fashion, but rather an attempt to keep me from annoying her and other passengers. For what it’s worth, those plane rides were the genesis of my taste in fashion and Dena Burton’s collection transported me to those moments instantly.
Over the years I’ve been fortunate enough to become an acquaintance of Dena’s. Like her collections, she is a picture of grace and class. I wasn’t surprised to see Dena’s growth from a 3rd year FIDM L.A. graduate to full-fledged designer and business woman in an unforgiving market. If you are at all aware of the riggers it takes to start and run a fashion line, then you are aware that you must be so much more than a designer. Dena Burton fits and breaks that mold. When discussing her first exposure to the world of fashion she fondly recalls, “During my childhood years I was constantly exposed to fashion by participating in various fashion shows. My dad actually painted the backdrops for each scene of the shows which were typically held at the notorious Chicago Hilton on Michigan Ave. So, suffice to say, I've been surrounded by fashion and the arts for a very long time.”
"It’s not one thing you have to be,
it’s about how you feel inside.
Once you feel that inside,
you exude that.”
The Chicago native and Howard University graduate has continued to approach her line from multiple directions. She has created staples for every woman’s fashion needs and beyond. Today, The Dena Burton Collection brings a much-needed boost to a modern woman’s wardrobe, with wonderfully designed handbags, two-piece skirt sets, shift dresses, multifunctional and asymmetrical wraps. All proudly sourced and made in the California. Her creative process is one that she is continually exploring and fine tuning- the muse visiting many times unannounced. When reflecting on her method, Dena remarks, “You'd be amazed at how randomly an idea might come, so I'm always prepared by keeping a notepad with me so that I can do a quick sketch or write the idea down. I always allow what I'm feeling or experiencing at the moment to guide me. Sometimes my process starts with shopping for a fabric that I'm drawn to. From there, I explore different colors that are available and how will this color scheme work for the season I'm designing for.” She also has a strong auditory component to spark the genesis of something new. “There are a plethora of inspirations I draw from when I'm in my creative mode, for example, music. I might be listening to a song and it will give me a mood that I begin to envision a particular design.” Like all artists, Dena is impacted and draws from both experiential and imaginative elements throughout her life. “I also gain inspiration from travel, being able to experience other cultures totally inspires me. Believe it or not, perfume or certain scents inspire me. Sometimes it takes my mind to a certain place whether I've had an actual experience somewhere or if I imagine what the experience would be like if I were there.”
Dena’s dedication and longevity have led to showings at fashion weeks in Miami, San Francisco, Fiji, the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week LA, L.A. Fashion Week as well as two-time invitee at the NAACP Award and Fashion Show. Her designs focus on giving shape and structure to the breadth of female forms while accentuating the finer minutia of beauty found in all figures. Her work is for everyone and she creates with all of the colors of life in mind. She asserts “They should be confident in who they are, it’s not about your size, it’s about how you feel and how you wear the clothes. It’s not one thing you have to be, it’s about how you feel inside. Once you feel that inside, you exude that.”
Designing women’s clothing can be as harrowing as walking a tightrope. Dena’s dresses are beyond graceful. If the Greek gods touched down today they would demand to be dressed by Dena Burton. As the trend continues to downsize one’s wardrobe to necessities, her aesthetic continues to be the pieces a woman reaches for over and over again. And if you love to visit tropical climates, going anywhere without a Dena Burton dress is a wasted vacation…in my humble opinion.
Philanthropy remains at the core of her company. Earlier this year I attended an event in Malibu. While scanning the room, my eyes fell on Dena’s friendly face. She spoke passionately about the causes the Dena Burton Collection champions - designing and adding signature wraps to her collection during fashion shows in support of Cancer Awareness and the American Heart Association, while also supporting The Special Needs Network for Autism. A beautiful smile that spoke volumes, grew across Dena’s face as she contemplated what moves her, “We create not only for others like us, but also to enable others to see themselves as they want to be seen. We strive to empower and inspire all people, encouraging them to achieve their own aspirations. We aim to see them bold and confident as well as graceful and liberated.”
The Dena Burton Collection has worldwide reach, as her contributions have supported charities in Thailand, Africa, and Jamaica. Proudly, the company supports young designers all over the world. Giving time and teaching the next generation is important to Dena. She takes pride, as one should, in passing on the invaluable knowledge she has gained through her own experiences and career. It’s not often that a designer's efforts transcend the world of fashion. Inspiring all by her efforts and relentless drive to not only dress the masses in their new favorite head turning look, but to caress your body and soul while doing so. Looking good and feeling fabulous makes a monumental difference in the way we live our lives. If you do find yourself on a balmy island getaway, and you make your own footprints in the sand, may you be so lucky as to be wearing a Dena Burton design and walk with your own confidence and joy. -
