The semester-ending fashion show from MTSU’s Textile, Merchandising and Design Program promises to be an array of adventurous creativity.

Approximately 30 students and volunteers will produce “Down the Rabbit Hole,” the overall theme of this year’s TXMD Runway Show, scheduled for 5 p.m. Saturday, April 23, in the Miller Education Building, 503 Bell St. in Murfreesboro.

Dr. Gina Pisut

Dr. Lauren Rudd

The fashion extravaganza will be totally student-run by both fashion merchandising and apparel design majors under the guidance of associate professor Lauren Rudd.

“They came up with their ideas on their own,” said Gina Pisut, chair of the Department of Human Sciences. “They created the patterns on their own. They constructed everything themselves and fit them on the models. The level of work that goes into that sometimes gets diminished.”

The three subcategories of garments to be displayed are “Psychedelics and Surrealism,” “Mysticism and the Occult” and “Royalty and Opulence.”

Nova Dieter, a senior TXMD major from Signal Mountain, Tennessee, will keep the show running behind the scenes.

Nova Dieter

“I feel like I’ve gotten to learn a lot because this is not something that I’ve really done before,” Dieter said. “I’ve had to step into a lot of roles that I was uncomfortable with at first, but, as the class progressed, I feel like I’ve gotten a lot more confident in my speaking skills in front of the class and being able to direct people.”

Walker Abee, a senior TXMD major from White Pine, Tennessee, has his hands full with creating three full outfits and getting them ready for the runway models to display. However, he said his off-campus retail management job has given him something of a boost.

“It’s been a really encouraging situation,” Abee said. “It’s kind of helped me hone some skills that I’ve already had.”

Pisut said students’ assignments include modeling, production, garments, finance and lining up judges to assess the students’ work, but the students work in teams.

“We try to get a mix of merchandise and design (majors) on every team in areas of their preference,” Pisut said.

Tickets are $10 for MTSU students, $25 for the general public and $50 for VIP treatment, which includes a tea party with refreshments and a senior portfolio exhibition. Doors will open at 4 p.m.

To obtain tickets and information, go to www.mtsutxmdrunwayshow.com or contact Pisut at gina.pisut@mtsu.edu or Rudd at lauren.rudd@mtsu.edu.

— Gina K. Logue (gina.logue@mtsu.edu)

The 2021 Runway Show conducted by the MTSU Department of Human Sciences included this original student-designed garment. The 2022 show, with the theme of “Down the Rabbit Hole,” will display different collections of fashions. The show is being billed as “an adventure into the whimsical, the opulent and the dark through individual submissions and senior spotlight collections.” (Photo submitted)

This original student-designed garment was displayed at the 2021 TXMD Runway Show conducted by the MTSU Department of Human Sciences. Fashions at this year’s show with the theme of “Down the Rabbit Hole” are expected to be different. The show is being billed as “an adventure into the whimsical, the opulent and the dark through individual submissions and senior spotlight collections.” (Photo submitted)