The 2024 Fashion Show “We’ve Got the Blues and All That Jazz!” came to life with the soulful melodies of "Night Train," performed by the Parking Violators, Phoenix College's Jazz Combo. The PC Fashion Club, sporting their signature club patch and designed denim vests, set the stage for a night of denim-inspired fashion. The pinstripe denim clutch with a red interior lifted the bluesy mood with a splash of color to match the bursts of red and gold in the lifesize fashion illustrations that flanked the stage. Drawn by Char Brandom, F
ashion Design Program Director, and illustrated with the help of Kate Richards and Sandy Toman, the illustrations were new to this year’s fashion show, highlighting the first step in conceiving a design. Audience members were first treated to fashion illustrations by Fashion Illustration students in the theatre's lobby.
With shows at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. in the John Paul Theatre on Friday, April 26, models entered the stage in groups for each set, posed next to the life size illustrations, and took turns walking the runway, which had the effect of a fashion kaleidoscope. The moving visuals were broken only by the soothing auditory sounds of The Parking Violators – Scott Thomas on trombone, Thomas McPhee on clarinet, Lucas Gonzalez on trumpet, Ray Imran on guitar, Steve Medcroft on bass, and Nathan Musgroves on drums – so models could change backstage for the next round of visuals and the audience could cleanse their fashion palette between runway sets. The most "oohs" and "ahhs" came when the models carried teddy bears wearing children's clothing, a clever way to show PC pride and the designs without the unpredictability of toddler models. 
The sole child model, a young male aged seven, walked the stage in a suit and held a teddy bear.
Close to the stage at the 5 p.m. show sat Fashion Design Lab Tech Holly Richmond, who has been working at Phoenix College for 26 years. She supports beginning and intermediate fashion students with draping, illustrating, and sewing. "I just love the kids. They're so fun," she said after receiving post-show hugs from the designers and models. "That's 24/7," she said, referring to the hugs. However, she also noted the discrepancy between the playfulness demonstrated after the show and the severe expressions exhibited on stage. "I went backstage after their first show and told them, 'You guys laugh and smile more in class than you do on the stage. Get those heads up in a smile.'"
A feature of the fashion show each year is the announcement of MCCCD's Artists of Promise award winners in Fashion Design, Costume Design, and Sustainable Design. PC students Tiffany Rae Sanchez, Heather McKeown, and Christina Hahn swept the Costume Design awards, winning first, second, and third place, respectively. Karla Rivas and Nathalie Carrasco scored additional first and third-place wins in Sustainable Design. Emily Mattison captured first place in Fashion Design with her blue and white blouse.
A fusion of art, craft, style, and innovation, the Vie d'Ours Chique Fashion Show highlights exemplary work from Phoenix College fashion students, alumni, and affiliates.The show is held annually each spring, featuring a new theme and fresh designs. Have you been dreaming up a one-off design or creating your own fashion line? Make your dreams come true in the Fashion Design program.