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Student designers will transform CMU’s tartan into original couture designs for First Lady MacKinnon, grand reveal at the 2027 Threads Fashion Show.
Central Michigan University’s iconic tartan will take on a new form this spring as fashion merchandising and design students combine university tradition, creative vision and couture craftsmanship through the CMU Tartan Couture Challenge.
This special design initiative will challenge CMU student designers to create an original outfit for First Lady MacKinnon incorporating the official CMU tartan. The winning design will be revealed on Saturday, April 10, 2027, at the Threads Fashion VIP Experience, followed by the Threads Fashion Show.
This challenge will provide students with authentic client-designer experience as they meet with MacKinnon, learn about her personal style and preferences, and develop original design concepts that balance their creative perspectives with the heritage represented by the CMU tartan.
MacKinnon will review the anonymous submissions and select three concepts to advance to the final stage. The selected student designers will then transform their concepts into finished garments, working with fashion merchandising and design faculty and participating in a series of client fittings throughout the development process before MacKinnon makes her final selection to wear on April 10. MacKinnon’s arrival at the Threads VIP Experience in Grawn Atrium will serve as the official reveal of the selected design, while the other two finalist garments will also be showcased during the VIP event.
“Students learn so much differently when they are creating for an actual client,” said Ian Mull, assistant professor in CMU’s fashion merchandising and design program and faculty advisor for the Threads Fashion Show. “They must listen, communicate, problem-solve and create something that represents both their identity as a designer and the person who will wear it. The CMU tartan adds another dimension by asking them to thoughtfully incorporate the heritage and identity of the university.”
The initiative is being developed through CMU’s fashion merchandising and design program in conjunction with Threads Fashion, with graduate student Sophia Oster playing an instrumental role in its development and execution. The collaboration creates a distinctive connection between CMU tradition and the next generation of designers while highlighting the experiential learning at the heart of the fashion merchandising and design program. It also offers a preview of the creativity, innovation and student talent that audiences will experience throughout the 2027 Threads Fashion Show.
