The University of Mississippi’s Inaugural Fashion Week and IMC Fashion Hour
The University of Mississippi’s Inaugural Fashion Week and IMC Fashion Hour
By Emma Williams — April 20, 2026
Oxford has always been a breeding ground for the arts. But, in recent years, there has been an increasing need for a space dedicated specifically to fashion. We’ve seen the growth that creatives in the community have enacted on campus through the start of organizations like the UM Fashion Panel, the Black Fashion Society, and our beloved Square Magazine. This spring, we have another exciting student-led opportunity for students interested in fashion: IMC’s inaugural Fashion Hour.
The Department of Integrated Marketing and Communications (IMC) provides a Fashion Promotion specialization for students interested in the intersection of fashion and communications. Many programs have events for students to create future opportunities in their chosen fields; however, IMC did not. They desperately wanted an event to connect students to firms and to put fashion promotion on the map at the university—and that is what Fashion Hour is.
“This is the first real opportunity Ole Miss is giving to students who want to pursue a serious career in fashion,” said Amelia Sweeney, one of UM Fashion Panel’s founders.
The event will be an hour of networking to help students connect with industry professionals and gain helpful insight into specific sectors of the fashion world.
“It’s an opportunity for fashion students to come together and celebrate their passions while also networking with industry professionals,” said Square Magazine Co-Editor-in-Chief Ava Rosetti on the importance of the event.
In hopes of uniting fashion-loving students from all walks of life, the UM Fashion Panel, Square Magazine, and the Black Fashion Society are collaborating with the IMC Fashion Program to present this event. Fashion Hour will be held at The Mill at Plein Air on Thursday, April 23, 4-6 p.m.
Square Magazine business director Margaret French said Fashion Hour is “giving like-minded students an outlet to talk about their passion.”
Fashion Hour is a part of the university’s first Fashion Week: a week of events for creative students interested in fashion, expression, and the arts. The week will consist of two main events taking place around Oxford prior to Fashion Hour. The first event is Square Magazine’s cover reveal party at Harrison’s Yard on April 20 at 6 p.m. Attendees will get to see the magazine’s sixth annual print edition, which the team has worked on all year. And, if you’re lucky, you might even be able to snag a copy for yourself.
On April 22 at 5 p.m., the UM Fashion Panel will hold a runway show titled Art in Motion at the University of Mississippi Art Museum. No ticket is needed, just you! And to wrap up the week, Fashion Hour on Thursday.
This is an exciting time in the university’s history as students and faculty are making strides in developing fashion opportunities on campus and in Oxford. Fashion Week is just the beginning of what Ole Miss students’ ingenuity and passion can accomplish.
We are excited to see where the week takes us and hope to see you there!
Fashion Week Schedule:
Monday, April 20: Square Magazine Cover Reveal at Harrison’s Yard at 6 p.m.
Wednesday, April 22: UM Fashion Panel Art in Motion Runway Show at the University of Mississippi Art Museum. Doors open at 5 p.m., show at 6 p.m.
Thursday, April 23: Fashion Hour The Mill at Plein Air, 4-6 p.m.