Fashion Hour, a new student-led and career-oriented fashion club at the University of Mississippi, is set to hold its first event as a registered student organization on Nov. 5 at 5:30 p.m. at the Tom Beckbe store on the Square. The club aims to establish a network for students interested in pursuing fashion careers after graduation.
Mary Cate Crum, a senior integrated marketing communications student from Dallas, is the president of Fashion Hour. She said the idea stemmed from her own career aspirations in the fashion industry.
“During my sophomore year, I really wanted to dive into fashion, so I joined the Students For Sustainable Fashion here at Ole Miss,” Crum said. “I didn’t feel like that was enough for me to find a job in fashion, so I thought an organization where we connect students with alumni who work in the industry would be super beneficial.”
Crum launches the club as a way for students to create these connections and kick-start their careers.
“We want to create opportunities for networking, mentorship and focusing on connecting students with alumni who work in the industry,” Crum said. “A lot of girls and guys come up to me saying that they really wanted to work in fashion but don’t know where to start, or how to get their foot in the door, so that made me want to create Fashion Hour.”
The biggest challenge when creating the organization was making it clear that Fashion Hour was different from existing fashion clubs on campus.
“Our biggest challenge happened when we first registered to be a campus organization,” Crum said. “The Student Organization committee originally denied it because there was already (the UM) Fashion Panel and the (Black) Fashion Society. They really wanted to make sure that we were differentiating ourselves from those.”
Crum said she explained the key differences in her organization to the committee, which led to approval.
“We explained how it was really about alumni connections and career-focused events, so they realized we had something different to offer, and that this would be a great initiative to have on campus,” Crum said. “We also look forward to working with the other fashion organizations at Ole Miss.”
Fashion Hour’s first event, “The Velvet Affair,” will feature Maddie Stockman, owner of Studio Eight Florals, and will encourage attendees to dress up in showstopping outfits. Crum said all students are welcome. The event is free, and attendees can RSVP to ensure their spot.
Stockman will talk about her experience building her brand, the importance of branding and her journey as a business owner. She is currently working on opening her first brick-and-mortar location in Plein Air in Taylor, Miss.
“It will be a jazz-inspired event, and we encourage people to dress in fun outfits and bring their friends,” Crum said. “We’ll hear our speaker, then host a Q&A after. We’re really excited to have her involved and bring different perspectives from the creative and retail industries. I personally have found great success with the alumni here on campus that work in the fashion, beauty or lifestyle industry, so I’m really excited to share those opportunities.”
