Work the Runway is not your typical fashion show. It’s a bold, high-energy celebration of creativity, sustainability, and second chances
Students will develop a runway-ready look using only Goodwill thrifted finds. Are you ready to compete and work the runway? Sign up to learn more and to be included in our student info sessions.
From September 2025 through May 2026, students will compete for three scholarships totaling $5,000 —proving that style and innovation can change lives.
Each year, Work the Runway provides a theme for student designers to base their design and inspiration around. This year’s theme, Cultura Meets Couture, invites students to explore the deeply personal question:
“What does culture mean to you?”
Why This Competition Matters
Work the Runway is a Goodwill South Texas signature event that blends creativity with purpose. This one-of-a-kind fundraiser empowers students to transform Goodwill thrifted finds into runway-ready fashion while raising money for scholarships, job training, and job placement programs right here in South Texas.
Every ticket purchased and every sponsorship secured fuels Goodwill’s mission. Proceeds directly fund our 100% free job training and job placement programs for individuals facing barriers to employment. In just the past six years, Goodwill South Texas has equipped more than 28,000 people with job-readiness skills, resume support, digital training, and career opportunities.
When you support Work the Runway, you become part of the thread that ties us all together—the thread of community, family, and the shared belief that we can create brighter futures for those we serve.
Thank You to Our Scholarship Sponsors
Competition Timeline
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Students Notified
Schools and students will receive information regarding the compeition.
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Student Meetings
Online student interest meetings will be conducted to provide information.
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Round 1 Judging
The creative brief packet is due at midnight, Nov. 14, 2025.
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Round 2 Begins
Round 2 students will be notified and invited to the Round 2 meeting.
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Model Fitting
Two model fitting sessions will occur in February 2026.
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Round 2 Progress Check
The jurors will determine if students are ready to advance to Round 3.
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Runway Show
May 6th and 7th will include fittings, hair/makeup, and the final judging!
Meet Your Mentors & Jurors
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Dominico Perez (Nico) is a Corpus Christi–born, self‑taught couture designer and the creative force behind the brand Nicó (@tejanico). Nico learned to sew and drape garments as a high school student, altering dresses after school and staying late to develop his craft. Eventually launching Nicó, he has built a distinctive aesthetic combining feminine elegance with Tejano cultural storytelling through couture gowns and eveningwear.
Nico’s designs have earned him a place in major fashion spaces from San Antonio’s fashion scene to New York Fashion Week. He has also been recognized by Fashion Group International as a regional “Rising Star,” and featured in ELLE magazine and other prominent publications for his signature style and craftsmanship.
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Oralia “Yayis” Villarreal is a renowned fashion expert, TV host, and style icon whose career spans major fashion hubs including Texas, New York & Miami. Originally from a small border town, McAllen, Texas, Yayis has built an impressive presence in the fashion and media industries, known for her bold sense of style, sharp eye for trends, and charismatic on-screen presence.
From working runway shows and collaborating with major designers to hosting fashion segments and empowering local talent, she has remained deeply connected to her roots while making an impact on both regional and national platforms.
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Sigourney Morrison is the irreverent creative force behind Dressed New Orleans, known for her humor-infused chain stitched designs created on a vintage 1960s hand-controlled embroidery machine. A New Roads native and LSU fashion design alum, Morrison brings a deep love for country music, glam western-wear, and all things Louisiana to her one-of-a-kind pieces up-cycling vintage and thrifted finds into new creations.
Before launching Dressed, she honed her craft as a milliner in New York and at Goorin Bros. in New Orleans, eventually returning to her roots in needlework passed down by her grandmother. Her custom work has been featured at Jazz Fest and onstage with Sweet Crude, and you can shop her bold, witty designs at her French Quarter storefront.