BY SHALEEN DESTEFANO
Fresh Sam, celebrated stylist, designer and art director, takes center stage at Meow Wolf Denver’s immersive art space. Known for her fearless fusion of street-wear edge and high-concept styling, Fresh Sam has worked with global icons like Doja Cat, Method Man, and Puma, but her roots remain firmly planted in the Mile High City.
She’s excited to announce a new installation at Denver’s Meow Wolf Convergence Station. Her “Broken Pieces to Master Pieces” is an immersive exhibition in the Galleri Gallery, which will be wrapped in used and new textiles. The exibit will highlight her work as a sustainable artist who reimagines materials into somethig dynamic and new, in this case a grand, room-sized masterpiece. The experience will be open to ticketed attendees for two months, with an opening reception on May 21st from 6-9pm.
As Meow Wolf continues to champion local artists and sustainable innovation, Sam’s presence is a perfect fit—bridging art, fashion and community in one unforgettable experience.
We were lucky to have an opportunity to delve deeper into her journey as a fashion designer and how her Denver upbringing shaped her experience.
Let’s start at the beginning. How did your work in fashion design begin? Was this a path you knew, you’d always take? How did you come up with your name?
It began in the 8th grade computer lab when I decided one day I would create a clothing brand and I named it that day. INFATUÉ is French for “infatuated” and it was the one word that expressed my love for fashion, I was obsessed and passionate about it. I had no idea how I would start it or when I just knew one day I would find a way to make it possible. Four years later I had a teacher in high school named Ms. Rice who believed in me, she encouraged me to pursue my dream and that led me to believing in myself enough to start the brand straight out of High school!
You’ve collaborated with major brands like Netflix, Puma, and The Grammy’s. How do these partnerships influence your creative process, and what do you look for in a collaborator?
I look for alignment. When it feels right, the deal goes smooth and effortlessly with good hearts I know it’s meant to be. One day I opened my email and Netflix contacted me to style a show, they said they had found me on google and vetted a bunch of different stylists and I was the one they chose. The show went smooth, the cast and team were awesome and grateful, it was a great fit and they paid really well. Always grateful for collaborations that see my value & don’t hesitate to pay accordingly.
Your upcoming installation at Meow Wolf sounds incredible—what can visitors expect when they step into this fully textile-wrapped space, and how does it reflect your journey as both a designer and a person?
They can expect to be immersed into my world, my heart and to feel something. After taking some time off of living in LA and coming back to my roots here In Denver, it gave me time to think and reflect. I got to see the correlation between my work and my life in that time and it was eye opening to realize my whole life I learned to be good at taking something other’s saw as broken and or trash and turning it into a work of art. Including myself. From an early age I felt really broken, i lost my brother to addiction and that is ultimately what led me to wanting to become something my parents could be proud of. After looking back at the 650+ 1 of 1 pieces I’ve designed I realized I’ve used this same concept of piecing together broken or damaged apparel/scraps and turning it into a work of art. This installation will be a reflection of all of the above. I want people to realize how powerful brokenness can be.
This show highlights sustainability, storytelling, and even your mental health journey. How do you hope viewers will connect with the deeper meaning behind “Broken Pieces to Master Pieces”?
I’ve learned everyone has a story, everyone has had to face some type of hardship and all pain is hard regardless of how “big” or “little”. I hope viewers can feel / see how beautiful their “brokenness” can be transformed into, if they allow it. This looks differently for everyone. We’re all works of art, 1 of 1.
Your brand, INFATUÉ, emphasizes empowerment and community engagement. How do you integrate philanthropic efforts into your fashion projects?
Everything I do, I do with purpose and substance. Every piece I create has a story with a goal of empowering the person who wears it. I recently ran into a customer in the airport and she shared with me how the jacket I made her makes her feel like she belongs when she wears it. One of the greatest accomplishments ever is to uplift someone through my designs, or words.
We’d love to hear a behind-the-scenes story from one of your favorite collaborations that had a significant impact on you.
I got hired to give a talk and workshop at Oregon State University, imposter’s syndrome kicked in and when I walked on stage I was doubting I had anything to offer those students because I had never attended college myself. 2 days later my inbox was full of messages of how I had impacted their students, it was incredible. I just got hired for the 3rd time to go back this May. It was a great reminder that we don’t have to look like, talk like or come from places others do to have an impact on them, we just have to show up with an open heart and a desire to help others.
Your designs seamlessly blend sustainability with bold street-wear aesthetics. What are the core inspirations that drive your creative vision?
My inspiration has always derived from intricacy. I never understood it until I traveled overseas and saw the European way, I felt at home. To me a work of art consists of detail, time, passion and love!
How has your upbringing in Denver and experiences in Los Angeles shaped your approach to fashion and design?
Growing up in Brighton, Colorado I always felt this shame of wanting to express myself through fashion, I was always starred at or talked about in school because of my “loud” style. As a shy girl I let it damper who I was and tried to be “less” to not attract attention. When I moved to LA it changed my whole approach to style & design, I felt like I could finally be myself, finally wear & design whatever my heart desired. Funny to realize now, being myself and expressing it is what brought me success. A great reminder to BE YOURSELF UNAPOLOGETICALLY.
Are there values or lessons from your family that you incorporate into your brand and business practices?
My parents always taught me to love others as I loved myself. I practice this daily in everything I do and offer. I truly care about people without having to know them well. During my childhood my parents fostered many children in the foster care system and it taught me and opened me up to so much of giving to and loving others. I’m really grateful for my parents & their lessons.
What upcoming projects or collaborations are you most excited about, and how do they align with your mission to inspire and uplift through fashion?
I JUST got back from styling my first Coachella where I was able to design a custom Lambskin jumpsuit for a good friend and client from The Pharcyde. His reaction to the jumpsuit was one of the highlights of my career. He was in LA and I was in Denver when I made it, we didn’t have time for a fitting but he trusted my process. When he put the suit on, it not only fit perfecttttt but it transformed him, he said he felt like he was on top of the world. Everyone including Heineken loved the suit and wanted one. I’m excited for the opportunity to make more fits like this for the remainder of The Pharcyde’s World Tour this year and join them overseas to see the reactions. Never in a million years did I think the designs I saw in my brain would take me all over the world but here we are. I love to share proof that if this girl from Brighton, Colorado can — others can too.
At the core of Fresh Sam’s vibrant aesthetic and bold creative vision is something deeply personal. No matter how far her designs travel or how loud her statement pieces speak, she stays true to herself, proving that the most powerful fashion isn’t just worn, it’s lived. Learn more at itsfreshsam.com.