Arkansas Union Hosts Día de Muertos Fashion Show
Models walked a makeshift runway in the Connections Lounge in Día de Muertos-inspired outfits designed by Rulli Torres.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Fashion
The Arkansas Union held a Día de Muertos-inspired fashion show on Nov. 1 in the Connections Lounge, with models walking a makeshift runway to mariachi music. The event was paired with an annual ofrenda organized by Cecilia Grossberger, a tradition she began in 2011.
Why it matters
The event brings a traditional Latin American observance to the Fayetteville campus community and highlights the cultural contributions of students and local designers. It also shows how a university office can use fashion and altar-making to share heritage with a broader audience.
The ofrenda has run annually since 2011 and features 12-foot-tall catrina statues dedicated to Selena Quintanilla-Pérez and Frida Kahlo. Attendance and future scheduling were not reported.
The players
Arkansas Union
The University of Arkansas student union that serves as the campus hub for programming, events and student activities.
Rulli Torres
A fashion designer and CEO of Bentonville Fashion Week who designed the models' outfits and decorated the ofrenda.
Cecilia Grossberger
The associate director of marketing and outreach and adviser of the International Bolivian Organization at the university, who organizes the annual ofrenda.
The details
Models wore outfits designed by Rulli Torres, CEO of Bentonville Fashion Week, who also decorated the ofrenda with large painted skulls, a grave bearing his name, and butterflies representing the return of the dead. Grossberger, associate director of marketing and outreach, asked students from other Central and South American countries about their traditions to incorporate into the display.
Timeline
Nov. 1: Fashion show held in the Arkansas Union Connections Lounge.
2011: Cecilia Grossberger began the annual ofrenda tradition.
Nov. 1-2: Día de Muertos is traditionally observed.
Cultural Thread
The fashion show extends the Arkansas Union's ofrenda, which Cecilia Grossberger began in 2011, by adding a runway component that pairs traditional Día de Muertos clothing with the altar display.
Fayetteville students and residents can see the ofrenda and cultural programming at the Arkansas Union, which offers a direct view of Día de Muertos traditions without travel. The display invites participation from students of other Central and South American backgrounds.
The takeaway
Cultural celebrations like Día de Muertos gain depth when they combine familiar rituals with new forms, such as fashion, and when they invite contributions from the communities they honor.
Further reading
For more on runway and design trends, explore the Fashion section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Arkansas Traveler.
