The Grove is widely recognized as a fashion haven during football season, but the University of Mississippi Fashion Society is dedicated to bringing that style to campus year-round.
Starting last semester, the University of Mississippi Fashion Society was created as a way for students to not only express their style, but also get real-life experience.
Brittanee Wallace, junior integrated marketing communications major, is president of the society. Wallace started the organization during the summer of 2015 as an outlet for students to gain skills, hold leadership positions and showcase their creativity.
“We put our heads together and decided that the University needed an outlet for students to show their fashion sense, as well as their marketing and finance expertise,” Wallace said.
Through this organization, students are given opportunities to learn more about the world of fashion from University faculty members. University of Mississippi Career Center Director Toni Avant is one of the organization’s advisors.
“There are many different leadership opportunities for members in marketing, promotions, designs and modeling,” Avant said. “Not only do the students discuss fashion, but there is an educational aspect in there as well.”
With so many aspects to the fashion industry, the society has attracted a diverse group of students. This diversity allows the organization to get input from different groups on campus to create a well-rounded view of fashion at Ole Miss.
(Photo by: Kathleen Burns)
The Fashion Society poses for a group photo.
“The most important thing about Fashion Society is that it is not centered around one particular ethnicity or gender,” Avant said. “It has representation from almost all the groups on campus, which come together to promote fashion.”
The organization has grown rapidly over the past seven months and now has over 50 members.
“This organization is more than just talking about the latest trends, though,” junior marketing major Lynley-Love Jones, head vendors relations coordinator, said. “It provides students with an opportunity to apply their majors and give them real life experience. It teaches everyone involved what it truly takes to create a show, from conception to the actual event.”
Over the course of the semester, the fashion society has worked tirelessly in order to teach the students of Ole Miss about the rules of fashion and to produce fashion shows showcasing all of their talent.
“My favorite aspects of the show include styling the looks for the show, as well as interacting with the models and other members of the fashion society,” Jones said. “Although it’s a lot of work, we really have fun doing it, and we work well together.”
The society has sponsored many events, including a fashion show called the Rundown, which took place last November at the Library Sports Bar.
At 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 21, the University of Mississippi Fashion Society will host another fashion show in the Luckyday Residential College courtyard. Admission is free and the event is open to the public.
“We are really looking forward to gaining a lot of support from our students,” Wallace said.
