The University of Arizona Fashion Week is gearing up for its 2024 edition, immersing the school in fashion, creativity and community.
The event includes a showcase of emerging talents, diverse voices and creative visions within the industry.
Founded in 2017, the University of Arizona Fashion Week was established to place up-and-coming fashion creatives in the spotlight. However, the event faced an unforeseen hurdle in 2020 with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a four-year hiatus.
Despite the challenges faced in reviving the event, including logistical hurdles and budgetary constraints, the University of Arizona Fashion Week has persevered.
Pedro Padres, a UA junior and the University of Arizona Fashion Week’s creative director, reflected on the journey.
“The biggest challenge is just that to really help those who are helping you build this understand that there needs to be a passion behind it. It’s not just another job that you do to get paid,” he said.
Padres stressed the importance of passion and commitment when it comes to organizing successful events.
“There were many challenges, and I think … one was just to be able to find a team and keep them together,” he said.
“It’s hard to do an event where you’re asking for volunteers, especially when it’s such a complex event that takes a whole year to plan. You need to find people who are passionate, and who really, really, really believe in the project.”
Through initiatives like the TREND Fashion Club, which serves as the event’s sponsor, students and local talents are provided with a platform to showcase their creativity and perspectives.
Padres elaborated on the selection process for designers.
“People apply,” he said. “We want to know if they’re students, if they’re entrepreneurs, that helps us know how much we can push them to pursue a line."
The University of Arizona’s 2024 rendition of Fashion Week will present five designers, including three students, who will unveil their latest collections under the theme Streets N’ Runways. Inspired by the multicultural influences embedded in streetwear, the designers will explore how these influences manifest in the context of the University of Arizona campus and the vibrant city of Tucson.
“I really wanted to focus this year on bringing a cultural aspect to the theme,” Padres said.
“And I feel like street style, again, is the most used form of fashion. And yet, it’s very complex and diverse.”
According to Padres, attendees can anticipate a visually stunning and culturally rich experience, as designers draw inspiration from a myriad of cultural influences, blending them seamlessly into their collections.
From Japanese aesthetics to Latin American motifs, each designer’s vision will contribute to the rich tapestry of styles showcased on the runway.
Padres expressed his hopes for the event.
“I want the public to really be able to see the work of the designers and the models and everything that everyone worked on towards this show.”
The University of Arizona Fashion Week
WHEN: Through Saturday, April 20 — the main event
WHERE: Bear Down Gym, 1428 E. University Boulevard, Tucson
COST: Tickets start at $12
INFO: Instagram: @uofafashionweek
