Students Transform The State Theatre For Fashion Showcase

The State Theatre, usually occupied for screening classics and eating popcorn, transformed into an eclectic fashion runway on March 23rd, exclusively showcasing art pieces and clothing brands created by Penn State students.

The event, brought to you by fourth-year students Brenen Grossman and Nico Excellent, began with a packed social hour (we haven’t seen this many students at The State Theatre since they screened Twilight in November).

The live jazz band performance, dripped out attendees and student-made contemporary art for sale, had us feeling as if we’d teleported somewhere far from our dear old state. Then the show opened with a frat-flicking-filled dj performance by NG Records and brought us back down to earth.

The Entertainment Business Club, founded by Grossman in September 2024, organized the Fashion Showcase as their end-of-year project to display their cumulative efforts and deep dive into the industry. While next year the event may be something completely different, this year’s showcase was inspired in part by Excellent’s own fashion brand, Six Villa.

Together, Grossman and Excellent combined their networks, and with some help from the Fashion Society, searched campus for artists and designers that aligned with their vision.

“We wanted student creators that were serious about their craft and that really wanted to get their stuff out there,” said Excellent.

In total, the show featured the cutting-edge designs of seven brands, Six Villa, J Dinallo, Elysium, Adri’s Creations, Jack’s Customs, Akhielo, and Undrgrnd Collective. The pieces ranged from crochet designs and reworked Penn State vintage to androgynous streetwear and accessories.

Strutting the runway in their peer’s couture, 25 student models brought the showcase to life. But one model in particular made the crowd go wild.  Shamak Agarwal, known for his “Day in a life of Indian student in U.S” Tiktoks made a celebrity appearance you are sure to see on your feed soon.

Following the fashion show was a pop-up event where attendees had the chance to shop the pieces they saw on stage and chat with the designers themselves.

Sponsored by BG Talent and Events, NG Records, Dunkin’ Donuts, Tropical Smoothie and UPUA, this event was not just a display of student talent and passion but of community collaboration at its finest.

When asked how it felt to see their hard work come to life, the duo agreed that, “Seeing all of the smiling faces in the audience made all of the ‘should we keep doing this?’ moments worth it,” said Grossman. 

If you missed the show, you can watch it here!

Tag us in your pics from the fashion show @VALLEYmag on X!

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