15 dogs will walk the runway wearing denim outfits made by UA students

Inside a room of McClelland Park’s fourth floor, 15 sewing machines sit on the tables, humming as University of Arizona students piece together denim outfits for an upcoming free fashion show.

The students won’t be wearing the outfits — but dogs will be.

Come Oct. 22, 15 service dogs will hit the runway wearing outfits crafted by fashion students using donated up-cycled denim and UA jerseys. Dogs ’n Denim will take place 5-7 p.m. on the UA Mall with a raffle benefiting UA club Trend Fashion Events Board, which aims to strengthen the community through fashion, art and culture.

Dogs ’n Denim is the centerpiece of the UA’s 7-week Fashion for a Purpose class, but when assistant professor of practice Elizabeth Heuisler first dreamed up the idea for the show in 2017, it was sandwiched in a class led by Charlette Padilla, an adjunct lecturer who helped develop the fashion major.

“I think we had four or five sewing machines; I brought a couple from home,” Heuisler says. “We had all these students sewing things. We didn’t have the equipment but we still made it happen. I remember one student cut the coat and sewed it and he said, ‘I made this.’ He looked at me and said, ‘It’s something.’ I don’t think people realize what they can do.”

This year's Dogs ’n Denim is organized by 26 students — the most to have ever worked on the show — all spread into committees dedicated to sewing, marketing and logistics.

“You have to hit the ground running. We only had eight people last year. (The show) wasn’t as big, as extensive,” Heuisler says. “Last year’s show had really good attendance but this year it’ll be much more polished.”

The show not only teaches students how to organize a successful event, but also highlights the work of service animals, the importance of sustainability and the rigor of the fashion industry.

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“Everybody thinks of fashion like, ‘It’s so fun, you get to do this, it must be great,’ but it’s a lot of work,” Heuisler says. “It’s not just about trends. It does a lot of good.”

As one example, Heuisler mentioned Dress A Girl Around the World, a program that has distributed millions of dresses to people across 90 countries since its inception.

“These are the things that fashion does and people that sew do,” Heuisler says. “The more people that understand that fashion is not just the latest color and trend — it really does have a purpose. Cinderella and all the little mice that were making her dress, it doesn’t just appear. Somebody has to sit there and sew it.”

Each of the service dogs will get to keep their own handmade jacket, some of which come with custom patches, like duck-shaped appliqués for a golden retriever whose favorite toy is a duck. 

“I feel like the dogs are always the best part — seeing them in their little outfits,” says senior Ariel Webb. “I think (this show) is important firstly to showcase the importance of service dogs in the community, and (also) showing what we have to offer. Not that many people even know our major is an option on campus. This is not only hands-on sewing, but collaborating and working with events and telling the stories of the people.”

When Webb first started school, she realized her original major of choice wasn't piquing her interest. She switched gears to fashion, something she’s found to be fulfilling.

“I’ve always liked fashion and retail spaces, but being around clothes and seeing how it develops, especially with all the advancements in the industry, the opportunities in fashion are endless,” Webb says. “Collaborating with my classmates has been fun, seeing everybody’s talents come together to put on the show. Working with Elizabeth Heuisler — I’ve never had her as a professor before, but I already see how much she does for us and really cares for each student.”