Career-conscious MTSU student fashion majors’ and others’ work will be on display at The Garden Party: the annual Textiles, Merchandising and Design, or TXMD, Runway Show.

The event will be held starting at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, April 1, at the Miller Education Center, 503-509 Bell Street, in Murfreesboro. Doors will open at 4:30. To find parking at the center, visit http://tinyurl.com/MTSUParkingMap.

MTSU senior Jessie Hindes walks down the runway at the 2016 MTSU TXMD show. (MTSU file photo by Darby Campbell)

The student-produced, approximately 90-minute show is open to the public. Tickets are required and can be purchased through https://tinyurl.com/lksgggq.

Ticket prices, which help provide scholarships for current and potential students in the Department of Human Science’s TXMD program, are $20 and $50 for VIP seating.

The MTSU TXMD Runway Show is the final event scheduled for MTSU Scholars Week as recognition of creativity and scholarly endeavor. Any MTSU student was welcome to participate.

MTSU students will construct every garment showcased at the event. Garments can be repurposed from an existing garment to encourage sustainability, made from a commercial pattern emphasizing sewing skills or made from an original pattern emphasizing design and construction skills.

“Fashion is documented as the number one growth industry in Middle Tennessee,” said Rick Cottle, assistant professor in the textiles, merchandising and design program. “Apparel is the number two consumer good (behind only food) in the world.”

Cottle said MTSU TXMD is the only apparel design program and the largest fashion merchandising program offered by a Tennessee public institution.

“We are proud of our students and strive to provide this growth industry with both design and merchandising entry-level employees who are well prepared,” Cottle said.

A highlight of the show is the senior apparel design student showcase. Each senior will be showing an original fashion line of at least four garments.

Past participants in this show have gone on to show at Nashville Fashion Week, Utah Fashion Week and New York Fashion Week, Cottle said.

For more information, contact Cottle at 615-494-8752 or Rick.Cottle@mtsu.edu.

— Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)