February 6, 2026

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The Mario Di Leone Legacy

After more than 40 years as a fashion icon in Cherry Creek North, Mario Di Leone is saying goodbye. Since 1980, the boutique has shaped the district’s style with effortless Italian flair.

Tell us about the inspiration behind Mario Di Leone, and what pulled you toward a career in fashion. 

I was born into the fashion business. My mother is my inspiration. She was a fashion designer, and I was always around very luxurious fabrics and beautiful women, because she was a couturier. When I went to school at CU Boulder, I was studying architecture. But I had always been into fashion, and since I couldn’t really find any clothing store that sold what I liked, I decided to open a very small store. There was a lack of truly high-end Italian clothing in Boulder in the ’70s. I thought, well, there was a market for it and there I was. I was going to school and was the only one working at the store. It was by appointment only, and it was a men’s clothing store called Gentleman’s Quarter. This was in 1979. I would go to my classes and then open up the shop. It was going very well and very smoothly. I was able to continue my studies while working, and I was able to wear what I wanted to wear.

Then the business took off. I wasn’t expecting it to take off the way it did. In 1981, I opened the Cherry Creek store at 250 Fillmore Street. We continued with menswear, and in 1985 we expanded to womenswear. The styling has remained high-end despite the name changes over the years. We began as Gentleman’s Quarter when I first opened, then Uomo Elegante which means Elegant Man, and then Mario Di Leone.

How did you source your clothing? 

You know, in the beginning, since I was a student, I didn’t really have that kind of money. So I started with smaller Italian companies. From 1979, we were carrying brands in the mid-range price point, like sports jackets for men. But as I got to know the clientele in Boulder and Denver, they gave me reason and confidence—they could afford more pieces. So I took it up a notch. I took it way up. I started working with the top Italian designers in the world, and I’m sure everyone knows Gianni Versace. Then I picked up Gianfranco Ferré for men, and later Gianni Versace for womenswear. The store really became centered around the two designers I was working with at the time. From there, I began to connect with clients who wanted true high-end luxury in Denver.

You’ve spent nearly five decades in fashion. How have you seen style evolve?

When COVID happened, Italy also changed its tune to align with the American market, because the U.S. is such a major market for Italian designers. No one was dressing up anymore. People were wearing sweatpants. So, I brought in magnificent cashmere pieces, three- and four-ply cashmere sweatshirts and hoodies and even cashmere pants. I tried to dress my clients as they evolved, giving them options that weren’t cheap track wear. But unfortunately, they weren’t willing to pay that kind of money for sweatpants or a sweatshirt. So what I did was change what I wore myself. I haven’t worn dress pants in seven years! I wear great shirts, a blazer, and nice shoes. I haven’t bought a suit in a long time. I changed with the trends.

What style advice do you stand by?

As long as you have a nice, polished look, you’re great. As long as you have a beautifully fitted shirt, a nice blazer, good-fitting jeans, and a well-chosen shirt, you can show up polished wherever you go. That look is acceptable all over the world. You can go to Milan and walk into the most expensive restaurant, and you’ll see someone wearing jeans but they look put together. You know, since I opened 46 years ago, the same clientele followed me, but some of those people have gotten older. They’re not dressing up as much anymore. They’re not traveling as much. They’re not partying as much. Once you lose that foundation of clientele, starting over and bringing in new customers, the younger generation, and trying to teach them how to dress properly, I just don’t have the energy, haha.

Style changes over time. Trends change. But showing up polished will always be in style. We’ve had an unbelievable run for 46 years. That’s a long time to be in this business. It’s a long time to stay the course and stick to your principles, and I did that for all these years. We’ve always been high-end luxury, the very high end. So that’s it. Thumbs up.

What has being part of the Cherry Creek North community meant to you?

Well, you know, Cherry Creek was my neighborhood. I was living in Boulder starting in 1976, when I began school there. In 1987, once I closed the Boulder store, I moved to Cherry Creek. When I moved here, I was living in the neighborhood because this was the area for high-end luxury, and I enjoyed working and living here. I didn’t really want to go outside my neighborhood to open a shop, so I thought I’d just stay here. I’ve had close relationships with the Cherry Creek community. The people, the restaurateurs-and it’s like a family. Like Socrates said, everything must come to an end. But I’ve been excited to be here for so long. As long as your feet are on solid ground, everything is okay. So this chapter has come to an end in Denver, but we find another chapter, and then we carry on.

For those who haven’t yet visited or are planning one final trip before closing, how would you describe the Mario Di Leone experience?

Well, for the past 46 years, the experience at my store has never been just about coming in to buy a shirt or a jacket. It’s about coming here to hang out with Mario. Customers come here to spend time. Wine is always served. Sometimes food is served. And as they’re eating and drinking, they’ll buy a piece of clothing here, a piece there. I dress them, and we chat for long hours. I don’t think I’ve ever had a client stay with me for less than an hour, ha! Sometimes I’m chatting with customers until late at night. Overall, the Mario Di Leone experience has always been about people coming here to enjoy the experience of hanging out.

You know, I buy my items because I simply love the pieces and the workmanship. I meet with the couturiers in the factories, and I have great respect for the designers. It’s always been an intimate relationship between me and the suppliers who craft the clothes. That personal connection translates to my customers. This has always been a one-man show from dressing the mannequins to buying and sourcing the collections. Even my windows had become entertainment for some of my customers. They said, Mario, you inspire me with your windows. I wanted my customers to know me. I talk to them about the collections, how the pieces are made, and the factories where they’re produced. I tell them where the factories are located, talk about the designers I work with, and share the history I’ve curated here.

As you prepare for this final chapter, what can guests expect to find in the store before your farewell?

We have sale merchandise from luxury brands like Ermanno Scervino, Agnona, Malo, and Colombo. If customers call the store, they can still make an appointment. For those looking for more masterpieces, I’m more than happy to bring pieces in for them if they don’t find what they’re looking for among the sale merchandise in the store.

What's next for you? 

The plan is to move to Milan with my wife. That’s home away from home for me. I have many relatives and many friends there, and we’re just going to take some time off. I still have some really beautiful pieces that are not on sale, they’re part of my personal collection. And when I return to Colorado, I don’t know when, but if we can reopen, we may reopen in Aspen.

Now’s your moment to shop the final sale and savor a last taste of authentic Italian fashion in Denver before the doors close and we say our final ciao on March 14.

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