Clothes You Can Live In, Clothes You Can Die In: Lumos and Nox Clothing

Named after magical spells from Harry Potter meaning light and dark, Lumos and Nox is a new clothing boutique for humans owned and operated by Tyler Lewis. A traveling kid, Lewis draws inspiration from the places he's traveled to in his short 21 years of life. "I've hitchhiked, rode trains all over Europe -- I have a huge passion for cultures, and that's a key aspect in clothing, is to capture the key essence of people," Lewis says. The traveling, too, is a clear inspiration: Lewis's urban-nomad style looks like something out of the apocalypse-road-warrior-meets-punk school of design -- and that includes the very design and setup of his store, covered in trees, bones, antlers, skulls, vines, ferns and flowers. Lewis talks often about how Denver is ahead of the trend as far as being locally concerned -- the world is moving away from conglomerates, he believes, and Denver's stability in today's economy gives people the opportunity to shop local and not break the bank. The local mentality is there, Lewis adds, but art only exists when the community supports it. Although he notes that big-name designers like Mondo Guerra have boosted Denver's profile in the fashion world, he says the city still has a ways to go to be a viable player on the national scene. "Right now, Denver has more of a craft scene, and the one main conflict is that Denver has amazing designers, but they're not the best at manufacturing," he says. "My hope and theory is to have that personal connection," Lewis says, "because having people shop locally is not only a necessity, but I want to make it a desire."

Lumos and Nox offers a broad price range; dresses go for under $75, and shirts for less than $25. As to their practicality, Lewis puts in succinctly: "Clothes you can live in, clothes you can die in."

Lumos and Nox is located at 3107 E. Colfax Ave. Fashion shows are held on Second Saturdays of every month.