Ah Loo, who lived with his wife and children in Clearfield, was shot and killed by a volunteer peacekeeper while attending the “No Kings” rally in Salt Lake City and march on June 14. Prior to his death, he had been a contestant on “Project Runway” and created the outfit worn by actress Auli’i Cravalho at the premiere for “Moana 2.” He also co-founded Creative Pacific as a nonprofit creative collaboration celebrating the people, culture and style of the Pacific Islands and beyond.

Friend and fellow designer Janae Pettit, who has shared a studio with Ah Loo and other designers, told the Standard-Examiner that the clothing to be modeled at the fashion show was designed using sketches from Ah Loo himself.

“I started tidying up a little bit, and I just started finding these sketches, just a stack of them here, one tucked below some folded fabric there, and I ended up finding like 30 or so of them,” Pettit said. “I was like, ‘Do we frame them?’ ‘Do we auction them?’ ‘Do we make prints?’ So, we started brainstorming, and the idea of making a tribute collection to showcase at this fashion show was born. The moment we started talking about it, it just felt so right.”

Pettit, who has a degree in industrial design, credits Ah Loo for helping her take the plunge into the fashion world, the notion of which had intimidated her previously.

“It always seemed like such a cutthroat, competitive, kind of cruel industry,” Pettit said. “Then I met Afa. I was actually his boss; I hired him when I was working at Purple, and he was just the kindest, most generous, compassionate guy. And I kept meeting different people that he knew through the fashion industry because that’s what he did prior to working for me. And I was like, ‘OK, if this is how this corner of the fashion industry is, I could totally stay here forever.'”

For her and designers Natalie Clark, Kelley Burress, Destrie Mendoza, Janay Robison, Lindsey Fitzgerald, Mary Rino, Natalie Wynn, Margie Keates, Ashlee Rudert and Jenn Williams, working on the tribute collection has been a cathartic experience.

“As we gave ourselves this project, it doesn’t feel like a sense of responsibility,” Pettit said. “It just feels like the most beautiful way to work through and process our grief as a group. Like, I don’t think Afa would have it any other way. We all agree on that. We all have felt that.

“So beyond, like, yes, it has been really sad and difficult to lose him – obviously, that goes without saying – but there’s something magical that has happened where we’ve been able to support each other and love each other.”

Pettit said that some of Ah Loo’s fabric was used in the creation of the tribute collection. Additional fabric was provided by Design Company Fabrics in Salt Lake.

Part of Creative Pacific Week 2025, the fashion show will be held from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday at the NHMU. Seating is limited, but tickets are currently available at https://bit.ly/4ojC8H6.

The fashion show will be preceded by panels and workshops at West Valley City’s Utah Cultural Celebration Center, located at 1355 W. 3100 South, on Thursday, followed by a market day at the same location on Saturday. Both events begin at 10 a.m. with free admission.