Vol. 7 [UT Stories] UT Textiles and Apparel Program Scales Back Flagship Fashion Show

• The University of Texas at Austin (UT)'s annual Capstone Collection Fashion Show, organized by University Fashion Group (UFG) since 1970, will undergo significant changes after this year's April 26 event — its last in its current form.

What the show has been:

• The show typically features around 70 looks from 16–18 student designers, with roughly 65 student models participating, drawing an audience that has grown from 500 to over 5,000 since its founding.
• UFG business director Nathalia Gomez described it as a meaningful milestone for student designers who finally see their work realized on a large scale.

What's changing:

• Next year's show is expected to feature only around 20 looks, as the Capstone Collections course shifts its emphasis toward "tech packs" — detailed technical documents covering garment specifications and measurements.
• The major will also restructure its curriculum starting in the fall, removing certain design-focused courses and consolidating others.
• Division Director Jennifer Wilson stated the changes are intended to bring the curriculum in line with current industry practices and comparable programs at peer institutions.

Concerns from students and faculty:

• Gomez said the reduction in hands-on opportunities is compounding existing frustrations with the program — changes significant enough that she herself left the major after her first year.
• Capstone professor Gail Chovan, who is leaving UT after 11 years, said the program has been shifting away from design toward job-market readiness, and that the curriculum changes are erasing the breadth that once defined the major.
• Outgoing UFG president Jazmin Hernandez Arceo encouraged incoming students to speak up if they are dissatisfied with the direction of the program.

What comes next:

• As incoming UFG president for 2026–2027, Gomez plans to establish a design committee to preserve creative outlets for students, potentially including a separate fall showcase to fill the gap left by the scaled-back spring show.

(Source: Daily Texan)