Art Institute's Nicole Marsch Designs Swimsuit for Denver Broncos Cheerleaders

Some fashion students are not waiting for graduation before they get their names out there. Nicole Marsch, a student in the fashion design program at the Art Institute of Colorado, is one of these gifted individuals: She designed a swimsuit that will be featured in the 2016 Denver Broncos Cheerleaders Swimsuit Calendar, which was photographed in Riviera Maya, Mexico. Six fashion students at the Art Institute of Colorado had designed Denver Broncos-inspired swimsuits in a competition for a spot on the calendar;  Marsch’s two-piece, orange-and- blue swimsuit won the coveted slot, and was recently unveiled at the calendar release party at the Tavern Downtown. caught up with Marsch to learn more about her views on sports, fashion and, of course, her winning bikini. 
Westword: What is your profession?

Nicole Marsch: Right now I am just focusing on school.

What is your dream job?

My dream job is to become a well-known fashion designer. I aspire to have my own company, which is exclusively for petites.

Are you from Denver?

I am originally from Michigan. I moved out to Denver over three years ago.


Do you like sports and the Denver Broncos?

Yes, of course. Just being a part of this competition showed me how dedicated the Broncos are to their local fans.

What inspired your cheerleader outfit?

The uniform that the Denver Broncos Cheerleaders wear was the main inspiration for this swimsuit. I really wanted it to have a sporty vibe, knowing it was a competition for a NFL cheerleading team. The Denver Bronco Cheerleading organization was helpful in getting the ‘Broncos’ logo screen-printed onto the fabric.

Is there a connection between fashion and sports for you?

I believe there is a major connection between sports and fashion, an example being that sports teams are usually noticed by the colors of their uniforms. That's why the right shade of orange and blue fabrics was important for me, to make the garment as authentic as possible.

What would you like to design in the future?

I would like to start a company that is exclusively for petite women, called Pearl Rose Petites. The company consists of a variety of merchandise for all occasions. What makes this [idea] unique is that it targets petites of all body types and is made to fit the petite form.


Marsch’s swimsuit is modeled by Gioia Bartalo in the 2016 Denver Bronco Cheerleader Swimsuit calendar. Marsch and Bartalo met at the calendar release party at the Tavern Downtown in LoDo on August 18. 

Jordan Field, a fellow student at the Art Institute of Colorado, designed this runner-up, one-piece white swimsuit. 
Art Institute of Colorado fashion-design student Gabriel Tebalan designed another runner-up swimsuit, this one laced with gold fringe.

Click here to purchase the 2016 Denver Broncos cheerleader swimsuit calendar; it sells for $30.