Fashion students unleash creativity with new Goodwill partnership

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Yesterday's fashion got a modern twist from Western Michigan University students during the Merchandising Opportunities and Design Association's (MODA) annual style wars. Partnering with Goodwill Industries of Southwestern Michigan, students were given the opportunity to create innovative, new and sustainable looks using donated clothing.

The style wars event was as a first-ever collaboration for MODA and Goodwill, with students given after-hours access to the Kalamazoo West Main location. With the store all to themselves, they got to comb through racks of clothing and use the center aisle as their runway. 

"Once the models got out of the dressing room they, walked down the runway to music and posed for photos at the end in front of the board and Stacie Jackson (director of marketing and communications at Goodwill Industries of Southwest Michigan)," says Olivia Bolognia, MODA president. "It was pretty perfect."

This year's style wars consisted of three themed rounds: movie stars, brown & gold and rhythm n' runway—the latter being the theme of MODA's Spring Fashion Show.

"Style wars is when you partner up, with one person being the designer and one being the model, and run around the store with the theme that we give you," explains Bolognia. "And being at Goodwill, we were very lucky that they had employees stay late and open the cash registers so members could have private shopping."

According to Bolognia, the partnership grew out of MODA's need for a larger event space and commitment to being sustainable in their work. In an industry that can have a significantly negative impact on the environment, MODA students try to use recycled fabric and upcycle used garments as much as possible in their work to avoid contributing to the problem.

"Fast fashion is really big right now," says Sally Borowski, MODA's secretary. "The really big companies are pumping out garments that don't last and don't wear long, but do last long on the earth."

"Using thrift shops and second hand stores, you're taking clothes from a time where they did make garments to last long and bringing them back into fashion."

Upcoming fashion show

Step into a world where fashion meets music! MODA will be hosting its 'Rhythm N' Runway' fashion show on Friday, April 4, at the Delta Hotels and Conference Center. The evening will be a unique fashion show celebrating how style evolves through the decades, inspired by the beats that shaped them. This event showcases the talent of MODA's members, providing students with an opportunity to display their designs and styling work in a public forum. 

Community members may purchase tickets to attend the WMU MODA Fashion Show here.

For more WMU news, arts and events, visit WMU News online.