When looking for a piano class for her three-year-old, Skye Barker Maa discovered that many local music programs had lengthy waitlists or wouldn’t take a student so young. So, in 2012, Barker Maa started Neighborhood Music, a school inside Aurora’s Stanley Marketplace for pupils of any age and ability. That foray launched Barker Maa’s passion for education, and within 10 years, she had opened Factory Five Five, an arts collective, and become executive director of Jk-co dance company. In January 2021, Barker Maa added couture to her collection, debuting Factory Fashion, a venue at Stanley that, like a little black dress, transforms effortlessly from day to night. Leading up to Denver Fashion Week (November 12 to 20), we took a tour of Denver’s newest style hub.

Small-Batch Production

Weekdays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The 2,500-foot space—with its 11 industrial sewing machines, nine standing-height worktables, and eight dress forms—operates as a production house for Colorado designers such as Missy Caldwell of Misfitmissy and Darlene C. Ritz of DCR Studios. Factory Fashion employs eight sewers who produce small runs for these and other local clients, including Barker Maa, who will debut Skye Aire, a line of eccentric, ready-to-wear dresses during a Denver Fashion Week (DFW) show at the Sports Castle on November 12.

Classes