At the Hayden Fairgrounds, 398 S. Poplar St., two ladies will launch a new dress rental service on March 16 with an “Under the Sea” fashion display.
Partnering with friend Liz Spinazzola to arrange the fashion event, Nicole Longo stated, “It’s really expensive to buy a dress that you might wear once.” “The purpose is to display clothes that may be rented right here in the city.
We aimed to transform the way individuals view formal wear and provide a means for them to enjoy the thrill of donning beautiful gowns without having to worry about breaking the bank.

The company will sell lightly used gowns, many of which are brand new or have only been worn once. After being dry cleaned, the dresses will be ready for rental. The concept came to Longo and Spinazzola after they noticed how many pricey gowns in their own wardrobes they had never worn.
The two ladies want the event to be enjoyable with delicious food and beverages, a DJ creating a party atmosphere while models make their way down the runway, and a fashion display that highlights the gowns that are available.

A numbered system will be implemented during the performance to facilitate audience members’ identification of their preferred outfits as the models walk across the stage.
“People can kind of write down which dress they like using our little system, and then they can get in touch with us,” Longo explained. “After that, they can come pick up the dress from us in Hayden, or we can deliver it to them.”

Currently, the gowns are kept in storage between the houses of Longo and Spinazzola, but eventually, the women intend to move the business into a commercial building that is presently being built, giving them a physical store.

The runway show will kick off at 5:30 p.m. with a party that allows attendees who paid $50 for VIP tickets to enter the lounge area, where they may partake in appetizers, visit the cosmetics bar, and win raffle tickets automatically. In addition to front-row seats for the performance, those guests will receive gift bags.

Those with general admission tickets, which cost $30 apiece and include snacks, a drink, and a little goodie bag to remember the occasion, can enter at 6:30 p.m. At the door, extra raffle tickets are available for purchase for a chance to win more prizes.

Spinazzola and Longo, who run their own businesses, came up with the idea for both the performance and the outfit rental service. Spinnazola is the owner of Manes and More By Mermaid, a Hayden salon offering services for cosmetics, personal care, and beauty. At her farmer’s market booth, Longo hosts Solstice Collective, a company that specializes in creating hand-tied malas and offers kids the opportunity to create solar-powered mason jar night lights.
According to Spinazzola, “We are just looking into introducing a dress rental opportunity for people who need them all year round.” “We plan to exhibit them at the fashion show, allowing people to see what resources are readily available in Routt County without the need for financial investment.”

The women also hope that by offering dress rentals, they will draw in tourists who may be passing through the area and in need of a dress or who don’t want to deal with the trouble of packing their own for a special occasion or a night out.
Eventbrite and Steamboat event posters both provide QR codes that may be scanned to purchase tickets. If there are still tickets remaining after the VIP line, they can also be bought at the door the night of the performance.
The women stated that the Hayden Valley Schools would receive a share of the sales.

“Perhaps the fashion show will become a yearly occasion in Routt County,” stated Spinazzola. “We were kind of inspired to do it because it’s kind of hard to shop in Hayden, especially for prom dresses and dresses for gala events, and we have so many beautiful gowns and dresses.”

Together with a lesser assortment of suits and dress things for the guys, the women estimate that they currently own close to 200 gowns.
“Everything is unique, therefore, there won’t be a “Who wore it better?” scenario because no two dresses will be the same, according to Spinazzola. “We have a pretty impressive collection,”

According to Longo, Northwest Colorado has long needed a dress rental company. Having one will enable residents to look good for special occasions without breaking the bank or piling up dresses for one-time wear in their closets.

“Dance Theater, Cabaret Dancing with the Stars, the Yampa Valley Autism Masquerade Ball, and all the high school dances are just a few of the events that are coming up,” Longo stated. “There are a lot of reasons why people dress up, and buying these dresses is very costly.”

Content courtesy of Steam Boat Pilot & NFH