Juliette Arsenault – Contributor 

At Bishop’s University, there are two very different kinds of Sundays that people get to experience. There are the Sundays spent in bed, recovering from the night before. Then, there is my preferred Sunday, the ones spent at Fashion Show practice, where your hangover gets knocked out of you by the sound of Madonna, Usher or perhaps Dom Dolla blasting at rehearsal. 

Image courtesy of Juliette Arsenault

The weekly Sunday practices are just one part of what makes Fashion Show so special. Believe it or not, putting the show together is quite the undertaking, and this year felt even bigger as it marked the 40th annual production. What began as a small show in 1986 at the Gait has grown into one of BU’s biggest and most anticipated events of the year. 

Fashion Show has always been a staple at our school, but in recent years, it has become something even more meaningful. Rather than being just another BU event, it’s a charity show that raises money for incredible organizations in our region. 

This year alone, we raised over $42,000 for Mental Health Estrie. These funds will go toward supporting and educating those who live with mental illnesses, as well as the family and loved ones who care for them. 

What many people don’t see, though, is everything that happens long before the lights go up and the first model steps onto the runway. Fashion Show is built by an entire network of committees working tirelessly behind the scenes for months. From head coordinators who oversee the vision and logistics, to the many little but mighty teams who help bring that vision to life, every detail is intentional. 

In many ways, Fashion Show operates like a small company. With 14 distinct student teams functioning like departments, the production relies on collaboration at every level. Some teams focus on creative direction, others on operations. Some manage finances, while others handle outreach, sponsorship or communications. Each team works relentlessly to deliver the show we all know and love, and to ensure we reach our goals in support of our chosen charity. 

But like any company, all this hard work isn’t without its challenges. Yes, there are practices that sometimes I wish I could skip. Yes, there are very confusing finance spreadsheets, meetings to tackle problems that seem unsolvable and endless group chats I’m meant to keep up with. But with all that grind comes something incredibly rewarding. 

It’s in those practices that I get to watch a vision slowly come to life, seeing choreography finally click, transitions smooth out, and confidence grow with every run-through. It’s in those confusing finance spreadsheets that I can gradually watch our fundraising total climb closer and closer to our goal. And it’s in the meetings that I have the privilege of getting to know a team of passionate, driven and creative students who care deeply about what we’re building together. As for the group chats… Well, that’s something I’ll just have to suck up for now. 

Even on Sundays when I’d rather stay in bed, being part of this team and this show makes getting up early more than worth it. Watching months of hard work come together, and knowing it’s for a good cause, is a feeling I wouldn’t trade for anything.