The nine-to-five lifestyle has long been a hallmark of traditional American life, and corporate America has grown to cultivate a culture — and wardrobe — of its own. A newfound fascination with professional wear and the world of corporate fashion has been reimagined across social media with terms such as “office siren” trending online, juxtaposing traditional conservative cuts with more sultry styles. This year, TU Fashion is embracing the evolution of professional wear with their annual fashion show, themed “bull-and-bear,” a nod to jargon used in the stock market. The show reimagines traditional office attire through a modern lens, incorporating fresh commentary and exploring power dynamics and the meaning of success in both financial and fashion contexts.

The show is an entirely student-run event produced by TU Fashion, a campus club with about 200 members committee members. The show itself has a five-member executive board that oversees a variety of departments, from design to marketing. Through extensive marketing and fundraising efforts, the show has secured name-brand sponsors like Poppi and Kendra Scott and a philanthropic mentorship with the nonprofit organization Runway of Dreams.

The fashion show is the result of months of meticulous planning, which began as early as last summer for the president of TU Fashion, Samantha Goldman. 

“This year is more about finance and the business industry — a lot of the looks are based on the ebbs and flows of being in finance. We want to challenge the norms of representation,” said Goldman when asked about what the theme represented. 

But challenging the norms through the implementation of a full-scale fashion show is not easy, a challenge that is exacerbated when the event is run entirely by college students. There is a rigorous level of communication and organization that running such a large event demands. 

“There are so many different departments to oversee,” said executive show director Jacki Hemman when asked about these challenges. “Our biggest challenge is that there is so much to oversee and tackle it all in an organized way.” 

Each of the pieces that will be shown on the runway are the product of meticulous thought and planning, each being a meaningful commentary on the central theme of corporate fashion, drawing inspiration not only from those who are members of the financial sector, but also those whose lives have been impacted by it.

“We consider a wide variety of roles that relate to each theme,” said head seamstress Katie McElynn. “With this show, we have chosen to base some of our looks around those more on the outskirts of the stock market, [and those] who are still being profoundly affected by it, such as [in] the Ladies who Lunch look.” 

The show’s theme plays with traditional norms and pushes the boundaries of what corporate fashion looks like and who it is meant for — a conversation increasingly relevant for the Tulane University community, as the most frequent occupation for Tulane graduates is in the finance sector.

“A big part is exploring how fashion can reflect compliance and rebellion. A huge thing on social media now is the gender play of it all,” said Goldman, referencing specific norms that TU Fashion hopes to challenge. The fashion show aims to combat gender bias in the corporate world through modeling traditional looks on more diverse and inclusive models.

Starting this Sunday, April 27, the show will present 18 unique looks. The show promises event-goers a night of contemporary fashion looks which explore complex themes of power, success and ambition, sparking meaningful conversations throughout the Tulane community.