Western Michigan University held its spring 2026 student fashion show, titled “Pursuit of Happiness,” on April 29, where students showcased designs inspired by personal sources of joy. The event was organized by the Merchandising Opportunities and Design Association (MODA) and featured collections from 24 student designers.
The fashion show provided a platform for students to express happiness through their creations, drawing on childhood memories, life experiences, and passions. Laura Argentati, MODA president and a fashion design and development major in the College of Education and Human Development, said, “Everyone really embodied the theme of ‘Pursuit of Happiness,’ and I could feel the joy and excitement radiating from everyone on show day.” She added about her own collection: “The fashion show made my heart so full of joy and accomplishment. I had no clue what I was getting into as president this year while also graduating with fashion design as my major. The long days and nights working on organizing this show while balancing my academics was a great lesson I learned, and seeing it all come together made me feel so proud of not only my hard work but the entire organization’s.”
Designers explored various inspirations for their lines. Dagny Gulledge created “Matcha Slumbers” using fabrics dyed with matcha green tea. Gulledge said, “Dyeing fabric with a natural dye like matcha required natural fibers, which is why I used cottons and silks in my line… To really bring out the color, I soaked the fabric with aluminum silicate and water.” She added that seeing everyone’s dedication come together was satisfying: “In addition to the happy nature of all the lines, seeing the culmination of everyone’s dedication was extremely satisfying.” Alexandra Garza reflected her Detroit upbringing in her collection “The Spirit of Detroit,” while Ava Hirvela drew inspiration from film for her line “Swan Song.” Caeden Smilde upcycled suits in his menswear collection “purSUIT,” focusing on sustainability.
Zach Argonis commented on how deeply personal themes shaped each designer’s work: “We got to really dig deep and show who we are as designers at our core. The topic being ‘happiness’ gave us the opportunity to give the audience the purest version of our art since we do the best work when we have the most fun.” Kannon Lynch incorporated live music into his presentation by performing an original song with his choir Lux Octavia during his runway segment.
At show’s end, faculty members Kelly Weathers and Iris Cooper presented awards including Best Upcycle Line (Caeden Smilde), Best Construction (Lukas Milosevic), Best Theme (Dagny Gulledge), Best Use of Design Features (Zach Argonis), and Best in Show (Valentino Rush).
Western Michigan University fields 16 Division I varsity sports as a Mid-American Conference member according to its official website. The university supports inclusive excellence for all students according to its official website, promotes sustainability through LEED-certified buildings according to its official website, has earned top-100 national rankings for several graduate programs according to its official website, enrolls more than 17,000 students according to its official website, and emphasizes learner-focused education that is research-oriented according to its official website.
Looking ahead, organizers encourage those interested in arts or campus events to visit WMU News online.