UM Fashion Panel Turns Walk Of Champions Into A Catwalk

The University of Mississippi Fashion Panel is hosting its first annual fashion show on Wednesday, April 2, at 6:30 p.m. on the Walk of Champions. 

Attendees of this event can expect to meet other students with a passion for fashion and learn about the UM Fashion panel — a student-led organization that spotlights student style and emphasizes fashion as a significant aspect of culture at UM. The organization has been working on the idea of a student fashion show since last semester. 

“It’ll be cool for people to see that we are able to come together and put on something like this,” UM Fashion Panel President, Amelia Sweeney, a sophomore integrated marketing and communications major. 

Currently, the UM Fashion Panel members’ styles are displayed on the organization’s social media platforms. Sweeney explained why the organization is hosting a fashion show and why the catwalk is on one of the most recognizable landmarks on campus.

“We want to show that Ole Miss can be a fashion school in our own way. We wanted to showcase that fashion is a big part of our culture,” Sweeney said.

Sharing similar sentiments as Sweeney, Mark Dolan, associate professor of journalism and the organization’s faculty advisor, commented on why the group chose the Walk of Champions as the venue for their first fashion show. 

“They’re just wanting everyone to be a champion,” Dolan said. “It’s something that hasn’t been done on the Walk of Champions before because we’re used to seeing the athletes come through, and so letting it be a space for fashion expression and cultural expression, that’s pretty cool.” 

The runway is “Ole Miss” themed with models showcasing “game day,” “nightlife” and “going to class” outfits. Out of about 65 students who filled out the model call form on the organization’s website, 23 models were chosen to participate in the show. 

Gage Hillman and Austin Smith, the co-heads of outreach, were responsible for most of the model selection process. Each model chose their own outfits for each category but met with the organization’s stylist team to refine their ensembles.

Dolan reflected on why student interest in the fashion panel is so high. Like his students, he believes the need for community engagement may play a large role. 

“Oxford is a fashion-conscious place. It’s an image-conscious place. So it just makes perfect sense that we would be having fashion shows and fashion pop-ups and little fashion events,” said Dolan. 

Amarie Raymond from Memphis is a senior integrated marketing communications major who will be modeling in the show. Raymond has enjoyed her experience with the UM Fashion Panel stylist team and is excited to get on the runway.

“I love my outfit. It’s something that I would never have put together on my own,” Raymond said. “It was really cool to be able to collaborate with those people and actually make something that’s still my style but elevated.” 

The models will be divided into categories that reflect the outfits students may see throughout the year. They will use the Walk of Champions as a runway to showcase their curated outfits and make a larger statement about fashion’s importance at the university. 

UM Fashion Panel Director of Finance Kate Drawbaugh, a senior finance major from Lovettsville, Va., explained why fashion warranted a larger stage at UM. 

“It’s super on brand that Ole Miss is super stylish. Everyone comes from everywhere and we’re an SEC school. We like things bigger and better and our style kind of reflects that,” Drawbaugh said. 

Raymond appreciates what the organization has done to establish space for a fashion community at UM. 

“I don’t really see too much of (a fashion scene) here, so when I found these different outlets for fashion, I definitely wanted to get involved. It’s super important to me because I don’t see too much of it here,” Raymond said.

The event will provide seating for 40 guests, but standing guests are welcome. Attendees are encouraged to show up as themselves and, of course, wear their favorite outfits. 

Dolan expressed that the event will have a relaxed atmosphere that welcomes all. 

“We wanted it to have an inclusive feel, a spontaneous feel. Something that people would be left wanting more of,” Dolan said.