Dazzling lights. Live music. Eight young fashionistas, each wearing unique and brilliant outfits, were featured on the runway for Creative Arts Club (CAC)’s 2026 Fashion Show. The theme for this year’s show was “Timeless Threads: Eras of Design,” meant to inspire models and designers to aim for outfits that were historical or designed authentically using historically accurate techniques. With custom jewelry designers and personal hair stylists, each outfit and dress continually impressed.
When asked about the inspiration for her custom outfit, first-year Cookie Monster said that it represented “the current state of the world — chaos. It speaks of rebellion against price tags and polished illusions.” The intentional crossovers of the various black and white patterns tailored with a locally thrifted Dior button-down had a certain allure as Monster strutted down the runway, followed later by other models with distinctly spectacular outfits.
One such model was first-year Aeryn Wesley-Hunt, who, according to the emcees of the event, Co-Presidents junior August Vaznaugh-Sanchez and junior Odessa Muelbroek, wore a dress she described as inspired by the Burgundian gown popular among the noble women of Europe in the 15th century paired with custom jewelry by first-year Ace Cuciti. While the Burgundian gown was traditionally designed with fitted sleeves, the dress had the flared bell sleeves of the Houppelande dress of the same time period.
In another outfit worn by Wesley-Hunt featuring clothing worn by the Egtved Girl, Wesley-Hunt matched an original crop top with a mini skirt. The outfit was “ceremonial and related to the worship of the sun,” mimicking the sun’s rays with a long, wavy ribbon and vivid colors. She said she “spent all of spring break in front of her loom creating the top and skirt.”
From a managerial point of view, Muelbroek said it was “great to see the models and fashion designers express themselves creatively in an art form everyone else can also view and enjoy. I’m happy with how everyone worked together to make it happen. It was really cool to see all the different outfits, especially the people that made their own clothes.”
From garments demanding fashion rebellion to meticulously threaded pieces commenting on traditional designs from the 15th century, I found that the only thing that the CAC fashion show lacked was an audience with the same energy that the models brought. At the end of the show, my hands hurt from clapping to make sure that the models and designers heard and received the appreciation they deserved. Unfortunately, the promotional portion of CAC’s fashion show seemed to be lacking (which is usually how it seems to go with many of the club-sponsored events at the University), and while according to Meulbroek, the show came together “sort of last-minute,” it was in my opinion spectacular.
With improvements set in place next year for more models and a heavier priority set on promoting the show, I look forward to seeing what models and designers have in mind for the 2027 CAC Fashion Show. In the words of Monster, “Wear what you want. Your body’s a temple, built for change, for choice, for color.”
