Dogs ‘N Denim Fashion Show Puts Service Animals in the Spotlight at U of A

Tucson residents will have a chance to see service animals take the runway in student designed outfits at the University of Arizona’s Dogs N Denim fashion show. The event combines a public showcase, hands on fashion training, animal welfare advocacy and recycling, with garments made from donated denim and fitted to animals that assist people with disabilities or mental health needs.

The show has been presented in more than one format and on multiple dates. One recent version was scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 29, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the McClelland Park courtyard, 650 N. Park Ave., hosted by the U of A’s Norton School of Human Ecology. Another edition was held on the University of Arizona Mall on Tuesday, Oct. 22, also from 5 to 7 p.m. Both were free to attend, although the Mall version offered $10 VIP tickets. The event has also been described as an annual 2025 show, indicating that Dogs N Denim continues to return as part of the university’s fashion programming.

For Tucson’s fashion students, the assignment goes well beyond making an attractive costume. They must design clothing that accommodates each animal’s body, disability, movements and comfort. Students work directly with handlers and the animals, taking measurements and learning how a dog or another service animal responds to clothing. Designer Alena Maestas said fitting dogs is different from measuring human models, requiring fewer measurements but plenty of patience and interaction.

That process has produced outfits for animals with a wide range of needs. Students partnered with A Loyal Companion, a Tucson nonprofit that helps dogs with disabilities find new beginnings. The organization works with animals that have physical challenges, including dogs with three legs or nonfunctional back legs. One of the animals featured in the show was Mowgli, whose leg was amputated when he was very young. Last year, he wore an outfit celebrating the U of A, and he was expected to return in a pirate costume, possibly complete with a parrot on his shoulder.

The models are not limited to typical service dogs. Miranda Neuser planned to bring Tank, a service cat trained to provide mental health support. Neuser noted that cats are less commonly recognized as service animals, even though Tank performs the same kind of work for his person that a dog can perform. Other dogs featured in the shows included Tucker, Pippin, Angel, Jeddah, Holmes and Persimmon, all wearing designs created by U of A students.

One especially meaningful participant is Toffee, a service dog who works with handler Clarissa Siebern to assist Jake Sayer. Siebern and Sayer have worked with Toffee for eight years. At 10 years old, Toffee is approaching the usual retirement age for service animals, which is around 12. Sayer is beginning the process of applying for his own service dog so he can eventually become the handler. Finding a match can take from six months to two years, and Toffee may continue working with Sayer until another dog is available. Toffee has previously participated in fundraising and runway events in California for Canine Companions, and the Tucson show offered another opportunity before her retirement.

The event also gives students a way to practice the less visible work involved in staging a public production. Professor Elizabeth Heuisler, who oversees Dogs N Denim, said the students manage the show themselves, including design, animal coordination, logistics and sponsors. The program includes vendors and local businesses, extending the event beyond the runway and helping students connect their classroom work with the Tucson community. Organizers identified Mama’s Famous Pizza and Heros, along with R and R Pizza Express, as sponsors for one edition, with the businesses contributing a combined $1,000 to help put on the show.

Denim is central to the project because the material is both familiar and plentiful. The university receives large amounts of donated and scrap denim from around the city, and students repurpose it rather than allowing it to go unused. Viviana Celaya, one of the students involved, described denim as a closet staple that often accumulates in surplus. Turning those donations into animal clothing gives the material a second use while supporting an event focused on service animals.

Dogs N Denim began as an idea Heuisler brought from another school, where she said it started around 2016 as a way to teach students how to make clothing for dogs. At the U of A, it became part of the Fashion Industry Science and Technology curriculum by 2018. What began as a classroom exercise grew into a larger public production, bringing together students, animal owners, nonprofits, sponsors and Tucson residents. Organizers say the central purpose remains recognizing the animals’ work. The fashion, recycled materials and entertainment draw attention, but the runway ultimately highlights service animals that provide daily support to the people who depend on them.