MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — “Out of the Blue,” Middle Tennessee State University’s monthly television magazine program, highlights student creativity and collaboration in the March episode with a preview of the university’s annual fashion runway show, hosted by the newly evolving Fashion Studies program.

The segment focuses on the program formerly known as Textiles, Merchandising and Design within the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences, which is currently undergoing a reorganization that includes the transition to Fashion Studies. While the program name is evolving, one of its longest-running traditions remains the annual runway show — an event that has showcased student work for more than two decades.

Set for April 18 in the Student Union, this year’s show is titled “Galleries in Motion.” The theme encourages students to draw inspiration from artistic expression, color and movement while presenting their own interpretations through fashion.

Lauren Rudd, program director and professor in Fashion Studies, said the show has long been an important opportunity for students to share their work publicly while connecting with the wider fashion community.

“We have been doing this runway show for a lot of years,” Rudd said. “We do it once a year, and it showcases our students’ work, primarily our senior work, but we like to showcase students at all levels and get them involved in the program.”

The runway show is also unique in that nearly every aspect of the production is organized and executed by students themselves. From casting models and designing garments to coordinating logistics and promotion, the event functions as a hands-on learning experience that extends far beyond the classroom.

“We have a finance committee, production, promotion, model and garment,” said Miranda Tidwell, a lecturer in Fashion Studies who teaches the runway show course. “I’m sort of the director, but it’s really student-run. I put them in committees and ask questions to get them thinking and brainstorming about how they want to improve the show and make it their own.”

More than 150 students are involved in the production each year, including designers, models and members of the technical and promotional teams. The event is also open to volunteers across campus, giving students outside the program an opportunity to participate.

Senior fashion merchandising major Caroline Roach, who serves as a project manager for this year’s production, said the collaborative nature of the show makes it a unique experience within the program.

“With this show being student-run and student-led, it allows us to have this experience that we wouldn’t get outside of the program,” Roach said. “Learning how to network, how to get sponsors and how to throw a production of this size is something that really prepares us for the future.”

The runway also serves as a creative platform for students developing their own collections. Fashion design major Sophia Ragland said the theme “Galleries in Motion” inspired her to think about art and movement in a different way.

“So my collection is actually inspired by Mediterranean tiles and jewelry,” Ragland said. “It’s kind of a different take on the theme, but it allowed me to explore the idea of art in motion through travel.”

For many students, the show represents the culmination of months of work — and an opportunity to share their creativity with family, friends and the broader campus community.

“Being such a small program at MTSU, it’s really cool that we can put on something so big,” Ragland said. “I feel like this one time of year we really get to shine.”

For tickets and more information about the show, click here.

Watch the segment below:

To watch, listen

• “Out of the Blue” is available anytime on the university’s YouTube channel, the True Blue TV channel, Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV.

• It also airs on Murfreesboro cable Channel 9 daily at 6 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.; NewsChannel5+ at 6:30 p.m. Sundays; WKRN+ at 7 p.m. Thursdays and noon Sundays; and streamed on the MTSU Jazz Network through WMOT.orgat 7 a.m. on the first Sunday of each month; and on other cable outlets in Middle Tennessee, so check local listings.

• It is also available as a podcast on iTunes and Google Play and as individual interview segments on Spotify at https://spoti.fi/453hxg3.

Watch previous episodes of “Out of the Blue” athttps://mtsunews.com/out-of-the-blue.

— Karli Sutton (Karli.Sutton@mtsu.edu)