Fashion show in Auburn: check out Auburn students’ design work on April 14

Fashion Event
Fashion Show
Auburn Fashion Event
Auburn students model garments designed and made by CADS students at the annual student-run Fashion Event. (The Fashion Event / website)

Have you ever wanted to attend a fashion show? Good news! You can attend the student-run Fashion Event, “The XII Hour,” on Friday, April 14 brought to you by the Department of Consumer and Design Sciences and the Apparel Merchandising and Design Association at Auburn University. Keep reading to learn how you can attend Auburn’s premier fashion show.

About the Fashion Event

Get an inside look at the projects completed by Auburn’s talented design students. (The Fashion Event / website)

The Fashion Event is your chance to witness the talent of the next generation of fashion designers and merchandisers. One of the top college-level productions in the nation, the Fashion Event is highly anticipated and a can’t-miss production.

The event will feature an array of CADS students’ one-of-a-kind creations including:

  • visual merchandising vignettes
  • e-portfolios for apparel merchandising, interior design and philanthropy and non-profit studies
  • interior design displays
  • a runway show (of course)

Before the show, you can view galleries and displays of these various design works. Then, take a seat to watch the models strut down the runway in gorgeous hand-made garments. With runway decor and music by renowned DJ CoCo (aka Andrew Thorp), you’ll get the full fashion show experience.

I attended the event last year and was in awe of the talent within Auburn’s design school. This year, I have the pleasure of modeling in the show, wearing my best friend’s garment. My friend, Sydnee Johnson, and the other design students have spent countless hours in the sewing lab sketching, designing and making their garments for the show. The models in the show are all Auburn students, and we have been practicing all semester to be ready to walk the runway.

I asked Sydnee what makes the Fashion Event so special to her:

“I love being able to watch the designers’ faces when they see their hard work go down the runway. There are many sleepless nights that happen in Spidle when having to create the garments. There is such a proud moment at The Fashion Event that makes it all worth it.”

Sydnee Johnson, Apparel Design Junior at Auburn University, Member of the Fashion Event Planning class, Designer and Model for the Fashion Event

This marks the 12th annual Fashion Event that has grown immensely since its humble beginnings in 2011. Opelika local Eloise Stewart helped kickstart the Fashion Event with a budget of $300 when she was an Apparel Design student and member of the newly formed AMDA. The event has found great success since that first show, now nearing 900 in attendance. After taking a brief hiatus during Covid-19, the show is now more popular than ever.

Preparing for the Fashion Event

Screen Shot 2023 04 04 At 9.02.41 Pm Auburn
Fashion show in Auburn: check out Auburn students' design work on April 14 1

This group of Auburn students has been planning the Fashion Event all year in a for-credit class. (Elizabeth Langer / The Fashion Event)

The Fashion Event is made possible by a class of talented CADS students who have been preparing for this event since August. These students applied and were selected to participate in the three-credit-hour, two-semester-long class to plan the big show. The students are split up to conquer tasks including decorating, creative design, PR/social media, modeling, styling, creating the Look Book, fundraising and coordinating media.

Senior in Apparel Merchandising Cecelia Mintz serves as this year’s Fashion Event Director. She shared her thoughts on her time leading the Fashion Event:

“The Fashion Event brings together so many different people and is such a beautiful celebration of the apparel program on Auburn’s campus. The members of the class work tirelessly throughout the year and build relationships as they work towards the end goal of putting on a successful show.

The models come from majors across campus and devote countless hours to bring the designers garments to life, and the designers themselves work hard on their garments to make our entire show possible.

The Fashion Event is the most meaningful experience I have had while at Auburn because of all the different people it brings together to make the event possible.”


Cecelia Mintz, Apparel Merchandising Senior at Auburn University, The Fashion Event Director

The students are guided by their advisor, Karla Teel. Here’s what Dr. Teel finds special about guiding the Fashion Event Planning class as they prepare for the event:

“I love watching the students start the year not knowing where things are leading and then gaining momentum to where they are in total control of what is going to be presented to the public.

I can see such growth in them personally and professionally. It has been a truly rewarding experience to be their mentor—I am blessed beyond measure.”

Karla Teel, PhD, Wrangler Associate Professor at Auburn University, Advisor of the Fashion Event
Check out the decor transformation from last year’s show (The Fashion Event / Instagram)

Can you believe that transformation? Here is a glimpse of how the Fashion Event team works their magic to pull off the show. Support these students, CADS and AMDA by purchasing tickets to the show this year.

Behind the theme “The XII Hour”

Promo for the show centered around the theme, “The XII Hour.” (Olivia Burns / Worthington Creative Photography)

After brainstorming the vision for the show, the Fashion Event Planning class decided on “The XII Hour” indicative of this being the 12th show. Playing on the number 12, which also represents the balance between opposites (sun and moon, light and dark), the group wants to channel the energy of tranquillity and turmoil coexisting and to celebrate finding harmony in opposing ideas through the elements of design.

How to attend and support the Fashion Event

Fashion Event Flyer 1 Auburn
You don’t want to miss the chance to attend this year’s Fashion Event! (The Fashion Event / Facebook)

Any and all are invited to attend the Fashion Event. If you’re looking for things to do in Auburn, don’t wait to purchase your tickets for this unique event highlighting Auburn University designers. Details below!

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Elizabeth Hobbs
Elizabeth Hobbs
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