MARK CLEARY
High Society
A posh dinner experience in a private home raises money for the University of Mississippi Museum.
The Power of Two
Trent and Ashley Cox share a passion for business — and community.
Fit for New York
These Southern women are on the path to success in the New York City fashion industry.
New Found Old Textures
Mississippi State University’s fashion program preserves the past in its historic costume and textiles collection.
On the Hunt
Life experiences in places as far as South Africa and as nearby as Oxford lead Robbie Kroger to travel the world promoting stories about hunting.
OXFORD: Ole Miss-themed belts and shirts launched Trent and Ashley Cox into business. Page 36.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY LINDSAY PACE
NORTHEAST: MSU’s collection of historic clothing offers insight into the past. Page 50.
OUR TAKE
WITH
For this month’s fashion-themed issue, we turned to friend Beth Hunt to help us talk fashion. Hunt is a calligrapher and artist who, among other things, designs silk scarves that feature hand-drawn Oxford and Ole Miss illustrations.
Q
Why do you think fashion is important in Oxford and north Mississippi?
Fashion is important as a form of creative expression, and it’s meant to be fun! In the South, we know how to have fun with fashion. People here tend to be drawn to joyful infusions of color and pattern, which I love.
How did you go from doing calligraphy and hand-drawn artwork to designing scarves?
I started doing wedding calligraphy in 2009, which evolved into designing wedding invitations and products featuring my artwork and calligraphy. I have always enjoyed fashion, especially accessories. Scarves are wearable works of art, which made designing scarves an organic evolution of my business. They’re timeless and “one size fits all.” You don’t have to worry about whether they’ll fit!
How do you think art inspires fashion?
They’re two sides of the same coin for me. Fashion design is an art form, and our personal fashion choices are a form of self-expression. The same is true about our choices in the artwork that goes on our walls.
When people purchase your scarves, how are they wearing or using them?
There are countless ways to wear scarves, which is one of the many things I enjoy about them. In addition to wearing them around their necks, people wear them tied around their handbag straps, in their ponytails or braids. One fun trend I noticed in France this summer was people wearing them tied around their waists as a low-slung belt or sarong over their outfits. I also love that some customers are framing them to hang as artwork on their walls!
Q Q Q Q A A A A A
Which of your scarf designs brings you the most joy?
Right now, I’m wearing my Football Scarf on repeat. It’s a feminine take on our beloved Southern Saturday traditions and comes in team-inspired color palettes. I sketched the idea on a hotel notepad during a trip to Washington, D.C., this past spring — I imagined floral footballs and flowing ribbon goal posts around a vintage-style helmet. It’s a football theme, but it incorporates floral and French design elements that I love so much.
Beth Hunt
Beth’s daughter, Annabelle
PUBLISHER
Rachel West
EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Emily Welly
EVENTS EDITOR AND SOCIAL MEDIA
COORDINATOR
Meg Kennedy
FOOD EDITOR
Sarah Godwin
COPY EDITOR
Ashley Arthur
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Lindsay Pace
Eugene Stockstill
OFFICE
BUSINESS MANAGER
Hollie Dalton
DISTRIBUTION
Allen Baker
Brian Hilliard
MAIN OFFICE
662-234-4008
ART
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Holly Vollor
SENIOR EDITORIAL
PHOTOGRAPHER
Joe Worthem
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS AND ILLUSTRATORS
Rebekah Clayton
Sarah Godwin
Lindsay Pace
Lisa Roberts
Ryan Strickland
Whitney Worsham
ADVERTISING
ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS
Alise Emerson
Melissa Holder
Leigh Lowery
Lynn McElreath
Keith Rainer
Moni Simpson
Whitney Worsham
ADVERTISING DESIGNERS
Paul Gandy
Markka Prichard
For advertising information, contact ads@invitationoxford.com.
To subscribe to one year (10 issues) or to buy an announcement, visit invitationmag.com.
To request a photographer at your event, email invitationmag.events@gmail.com.
Invitation Magazines respects the many diverse individuals and organizations that make up north Mississippi and strives to be inclusive and representative of all members of our community.
THE TALENT
ALISE EMERSON
ADVERTISING CONSULTANT
Alise Emerson has been an advertising consultant with Invitation Magazines since June 2010. Originally from Booneville, she first connected with the magazine while working at an Oxford boutique. She loves everything about fashion and this time of year. When she’s not working, you can find her cheering on her two boys at the ball field or chasing her energetic 2-year-old daughter.
PAUL GANDY
DESIGNER & PHOTOGRAPHER
Ad designer Paul Gandy has been working as a freelance photographer and designer since 2016. Paul loves to tell stories through his camera and getting to travel is a bonus. His work has taken him all over the world documenting everything from weddings in Italy and Iceland to humanitarian efforts in Puerto Rico and Matamoros, Mexico. After a long stay in the Velvet Ditch, he, his wife, Maddie, and their two cats, Heifer and Helga, have moved to Norman, Oklahoma, for the next chapter. They come back to Oxford at every opportunity.
REBEKAH CLAYTON PHOTOGRAPHER
Rebekah Clayton is a photographer and creative who loves being part of Oxford’s community events and meeting new people. Through At Your Best Photo, she helps clients feel confident and celebrated, telling stories that become lasting memories. Her favorite part of her job is making people shine at their best and sharing the spirit of the community through her lens.
“HIGH SOCIETY” | PAGE 30
LINDSAY PACE
WRITER & PHOTOGRAPHER
Lindsay Pace is a feature writer and editorial photographer who has worked for publications across north Mississippi. As a full-time travel writer, she has a special appreciation for people, who give meaning to place. When she isn’t documenting the lives of creatives like Trent and Ashley Cox (page 36), she’s baking sourdough or taking her pup, Scout, for a walk.
“THE POWER OF TWO” | PAGE 36
TENOLA PLAXICO
THE OLE MISS FASHION EDIT
THE FOOTBALL SILK SCARF
SILK TWILL SCARF WITH HAND-ROLLED EDGES $110
BETH HUNT DESIGNS
THE BEAUFORT BONNET COMPANY
OLE MISS SWEATSHIRT $58 OLIVE JUICE KIDS
BRACELETS FROM $36
OLIVE JUICE GIFTS
ENEWTON
CELEBRATING 20 YEARS
ILLUSTRATING INVITATION
FROM THE INVITATION MAGAZINES ARCHIVES
To celebrate our anniversary we will rerun favorites from past issues!
This month, Invitation Magazines revisits some of artist Sarah McCullen Godwin’s creative watercolor illustrations.
“Illustrating for Invitation has always been such a joy,” Godwin said. “It’s a thrill to be trusted to bring the story to life through art, and it often challenges me and allows me to paint some things that are outside of my typical repertoire. I hope to illustrate stories here and there for many more years.”
Godwin, who lives in Oxford and graduated from Ole Miss, has been contributing artwork to the magazine since 2018. Since then, she has launched a full-time artistic career and displays her work in stores and at shows all over the South. She is also Invitation Magazines’ food editor. See more of her original artwork at sarahgodwinwatercolors.com.
CHILL OUT
AUGUST 2020
WALKING THE RUCK
MARCH 2019
None of the magazine illustrations I do typically have images associated with them that I can look at for inspiration, so I have to use my imagination. For this assignment, I didn’t know what a ruck was until I looked it up, and I went from there. I just knew I wanted it to feel super patriotic, so I had to include the flag.
Magazine illustrations push me out of my comfort zone by making me rethink how to create what needs to be captured. Here, I wasn’t sure how to make the ice look gritty and frozen, but I figured it out and added tools to my toolset.
COURSE OF A LIFETIME
SEPTEMBER 2019
I loved capturing the motion of the golf swing, and the pivot of the golfer’s feet. It was definitely a pose I had not painted before!
SUMMER ESCAPE
JULY 2021
I grew up vacationing to Seaside and 30A, so it was special to capture it for a story. The colorful rolling hills of Telluride were fun too. It’s fun to capture landscapes in a more abstract way.
Continued on page 24
WONDER. GO ON & WONDER: THE 2024 GUIDE
JUNE/JULY 2024
Continued from page 23
This one was so fun, and it is one of my biggest projects to date. The croissant is one of my favorite things ever. I love how it glistens and shines! I also love Elvis on the map. There is no better way to represent Tupelo!
PUMPKINS AT ST. PETER’S
OCTOBER 2022
St. Peter’s pumpkin patch is so iconic, and this illustration captures the best time of year in Oxford. Everyone loves the pumpkin patch and has fun memories there, so this was a super fun one!
This year, the pumpkins will arrive on Oct. 5 and will be sold through Oct. 28 or until sold out. The pumpkin patch is open Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. All are welcome to take pictures in the patch at any time.
Continued on page 26
RINGING IN A BRAND NEW YEAR
DECEMBER/JANUARY 2018
That sushi box was quite the challenge! Thinking through how to represent each culture’s New Year tradition required me to be creative, but these illustrations turned out colorful and interesting, which is always the goal.
AIMING HIGH: SKEET SHOOT FOR YOUNG LIFE
OCTOBER 2018
This was my very first illustration, and it was the first story I wrote for the magazine! It felt close to home because my dad is the best skeet shooter I know, so I took inspiration from him. I love the dog too — he’s raring to go!
EARLY SCOOP: NEXT MONTH WE'LL TAKE A LOOK BACK AT SOME ORIGINAL INVITATION MAGAZINES RECIPES.
High Society High Society
WRITTEN BY EUGENE STOCKSTILL
PHOTOGRAPHED BY REBEKAH CLAYTON, AT YOUR BEST PHOTO
A POSH DINNER EXPERIENCE IN A PRIVATE HOME RAISES FUNDS FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI
MUSEUM.
LLook up the word posh in the dictionary, and you just might find a picture of the Taylor, Mississippi, home of Lucius Lamar and Kerry Hamilton. Back in May, Lamar and Hamilton hosted what very well may have been one of the biggest art events of 2025 in Lafayette County.
The Friends of the University of Mississippi Museum and Historic Houses created a dinner event that was auctioned at last fall’s Harvest Supper to raise money for the museum. It was the first time several interactive experiences were auctioned as a fundraiser.
“Our goal was to make the events art-related and (to offer) meals created and presented by known chefs at homes of museum patrons,” said Lamar, a well-known local painter, whose mother was the first woman to be elected mayor of Oxford.
Think of the salons of old Europe, where artists, writers, intellectuals and other dignitaries congregated, feasted, exchanged ideas and shared creative expressions, and you’ll have an even better idea of the vision.
Voilà! A springtime dinner extravaganza was born. The person who won the dinner experience, which was attended by about two dozen people, asked to remain anonymous but agreed to share photos from the event here.
The gathering was catered by Katie Adams and Rob Mistry, partners at Gautreau’s in New Orleans, a restaurant named for a famous socialite who was the subject of numerous portraits, including the once-scandalous “Madame X,” in which she painted her body a death-white hue. Ellen and Eason Leake, members of the museum’s board, introduced Adams and Mistry to supporters of the museum after the Leakes had enjoyed a meal at Gautreau’s. Adams worked as a chef at City Grocery and Snackbar before she moved to the Crescent City.
“They graciously created and served the
amazing multicourse dinner that was paired with curated, unique and rare wines (from) a museum patron,” Lamar said. (See menu at right.)
The event was something of a who’s who in the art world. DJ Loft provided a playlist for the gathering. Photographers Langdon Clay and Maude Schuyler Clay described their work with Marshall McKinney, the founding director of Garden & Gun magazine. Mississippi writer Michael Farris Smith read from and discussed some of his latest work. Actress and filmmaker McGhee Monteith spoke, too. Modern Renaissance man Jared Spears analyzed a sculpture that Lamar and Hamilton commissioned from him. Fine art portrait photographer Allison Rodgers was also in attendance.
The house itself tells quite a story, as well. Lamar and Hamilton envisioned it, and noted
THE MENU THE MENU
Katie Adams and Rob Mistry, partners at Gautreau’s in New Orleans, created the mouthwatering meal served at the dinner experience
Hors D’oeurves
“Cheese Straws” with Cream Cheese and Caviar Shrimp “Tartare” Rémoulade
First Course
Second Course
“Muffaletta” al Brodo with Pistachio and Sesame
Third Course
Gulf Bluefin and Watermelon, Pecan Pesto, Red Onion Aigre-Doux
Fourth Course
Porchetta with Methi and Coconut Greens, Sauce Robert
Intermezzo
Sazerac and Kashmiri Chili Granita
Fifth Course
Foie Gras and Raspberry “Moon Pie” with White Chocolate
hosted by Lucius Lamar and Kerry Hamilton in May. Here is a peek at the menu.
Black Truffle and Scallop Parfait with Peanut, Sev, and Muscadine
Mousse
architect Edye Conkerton designed it. Built in 2020, the modern farmhouse with a variety of roof pitches and windows was “designed to maximize light,” Lamar said.
With four bedrooms, a guesthouse/artist studio and a foyer gallery topped with a glass pyramid, the 4,000-square-foot residence showcases a dizzying array of art. (See sidebar below.)
Lamar, who is currently working on an art show for Southside Gallery this October and has donated his art to Harvest Supper, gushed over the success of the event.
“More than a supper,” Lamar said. “It became a hymn to abundance, to belonging, to the way beauty — on canvas, on the plate, in community — can be shared beneath the wide Mississippi sky.”
This year’s Harvest Supper takes place Oct. 30 on the grounds of Rowan Oak. A silent art auction will feature original art from more than 20 Mississippi-based artists, including one by Lamar, plus three art-culinary experiences, including a VIP trip to the Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville, Arkansas, via private jet for eight people. Bidding on items will begin 10 days before the event. Learn more about the dinner and the auction at harvestsupper.org.
ART FOR ART’S SAKE ART FOR ART’S SAKE
Nothing, it seems, is off-limits in the art world of Lucius Lamar and Kerry Hamilton. “Our walls hold a wide range of art genres,” Lamar said.
They’ve got modernist and pop art by Picasso, Harring and Warhol, including his famous soup can piece. There is work by Takashi Murakami, a contemporary Japanese artist, and pieces by that quintessential American son, Norman Rockwell.
Their collection of photography includes several Mississippi-related pieces, including “Colonel” by J.R. Cofield, the portrait photographer of William Faulkner, as well as a portrait of “Faulkner’s Mule,”
which was a gift from Hamilton’s father.
They also have a collection of Southern folk art by self-taught artists, many creations made with nontraditional materials, and an unusual piece by Jere Allen, professor emeritus at Ole Miss, called “The Dressing of the Deer Carcass” (oil on canvas).
One of the more striking pieces is “Gamin,” a bronze bust of a young African American boy by Augusta Savage of the Harlem Renaissance, which Lamar called his favorite, a gift from his mother, Patricia Lamar, the first woman to become mayor of Oxford.
Lucius Lamar and Kerry Hamilton have spent the greater part of their lives collecting art, and their contemporary home in bucolic Taylor proves it.
The Power OF TWO
TRENT AND ASHLEY COX SHARE A PASSION FOR BUSINESS — AND COMMUNITY. THEIR BRANDS, ROOSTAS AND BLUECREST CLOTHING, ARE JUST THE BEGINNING OF THEIR JOURNEY TOGETHER. WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY LINDSAY PACE
The Power OF TWO
Jayson, who works with the Coxes, sports the SIP Performance Polo, inspired by joyful game days in The Grove.
N N
early 10 years ago, Trent and Ashley Cox — founders of Oxford-based apparel brands Roostas and Bluecrest Clothing — sat on the floor of their loft in Memphis, Tennessee, packing $10,000 worth of video games for customers. It wasn’t their first time working hard together, and it wouldn’t be the last.
The video games? They were the result of practicing pricing arbitrage, a theory they’d learned during their stint as Master of Business Administration students at the University of Mississippi two years earlier. Trent spotted an opportunity to resell in-demand titles, like Madden NFL and NBA 2K, at a higher price on Amazon. To their surprise, sales soared.
At the time, both Ashley and Trent held successful corporate roles at FedEx but were notorious for having side hustles. So, in 2018, when they noticed golf fashion shifting toward more relaxed, casual wear, they left video games, and a new venture emerged.
The idea became Roostas, a belt company with playful yet polished designs. The products are durable, and thanks to materials like spandex, they stretch without losing shape.
Launching Roostas was no easy feat — their firstborn was 3 months old, and the move was a gamble. But when their retail accounts quadrupled at a tradeshow, they knew the leap would pay off.
“Something flipped (at the tradeshow),” Ashley Cox said. “At the end of the day, we were selling belts, but people were also buying into us and the relationship we could offer them. They were buying into our story, and that was really meaningful.”
By 2021, Roostas was solid, and the Coxes
Trent and Ashley Cox
The Apex Print Performance Polo is lightweight and breathable — designed with a Southern summer in mind.
left their full-time jobs at FedEx to return to Oxford. It was a fortuitous move, since golf was one of the most popular sports in play after COVID-19 lockdowns were lifted, and players were seeking fresh performance wear.
With Roostas thriving, the Coxes saw another opportunity. Their retail partners — of which they now have 800 — began asking for apparel. Bluecrest Clothing was the answer.
“These are retail partners that run their own stores, so we don’t take their trust lightly,” Trent Cox said.
Bluecrest Clothing offers collegiate-themed polos, hoodies and quarter zips with lighthearted patterns and understated designs. It’s not uncommon for the Coxes to spot a product in the Grove or around town, and it never ceases to delight them.
“Pretty soon after we started our [first] business, we were in the Atlanta airport, and somebody was wearing one of our belts,” Ashley said. “It’s legitimizing.”
Beyond creating quality products, the Coxes foster a workplace culture that values employees — one where team members are encouraged to discover passions, remain curious and have room to be fully engaged in life outside the office.
“Those relationships mean the most to us, and that’s why we still strive to do as much as we can now,” Trent said. “We want to build something that they’re proud of.”
And as for working together? The pair genuinely loves it.
“You always have somebody on your team,” Trent said. “Having somebody that you trust more than anybody in the world being that cofounder is pretty valuable.”
Continued from page 37
Trent wears the Day Drinker Performance Polo, dotted with a playful cocktail-inspired pattern. His belt features the University of Mississippi’s signature crimson and navy palette and is part of Roostas’ needlepoint line.
Roostas belts are comfortable and durable, designed to stretch without creating wear and tear. Pictured here is The Ponte Vedra Two Toned Woven Stretch Belt.
Continued from page 38
Style that Celebrates Style that Celebrates
From tailgates to nights out, Roostas and Bluecrest Clothing bring personality and polish to every occasion.
The Coxes love a good celebration, and their brands are designed for exactly that. Whether tailgating in the Grove or gathering with friends for dinner, here are a few ways to make their products your own.
Shop Your Style:
Roostas’ vibrant belts are flecked with patterns like herringbone and chevron. Pair a simple shirt with a pattern-heavy belt, or keep it refined with one of the brand’s two-toned or solid designs.
Check the Weather:
Feeling chilly? Throw on a Bluecrest Clothing hoodie, which is built to hold its shape and never sag at the wrist. Or opt for a quarter-zip, made for Mississippi’s unpredictable weather. They’re warm enough for a crisp fall morning, but breathable enough for rising afternoon temps.
Dress It Up or
Dress It Down:
Bluecrest Clothing’s polos are cut for versatility in length. Wear them tucked or untucked, depending on the occasion. Better yet, tuck one in and add a Roostas belt.
Mark Your Calendar:
Need inspiration? The Coxes occasionally host community events. Previous pop-ups have included a sip-and-shop style celebration at Circle and Square Brewing. Keep an eye out for limited-edition drops.
Many Roostas and Bluecrest Clothing products highlight collegiate colors. Pictured from top to bottom are the Apex Print Performance Polo in navy and white; the Apex Print Performance Polo in red and white; and a collegiate-inspired belt from Roostas’ needlepoint line.
FIT FOR
NEW YORK
THESE SOUTHERN WOMEN ARE ON THE PATH TO SUCCESS IN THE NEW YORK CITY FASHION INDUSTRY.
WRITTEN BY EMILY WELLY
ILLUSTRATED BY SARAH GODWIN
PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED
The Met Gala. Hermés. Vogue. Max Mara. These young fashionistas with ties to north Mississippi have each worked their way into the storied New York City fashion industry. Here they share with us a bit about what they’ve seen and done.
AVERY WHITE
AGE: 26
EDUCATION: The University of Mississippi, 2021
DEGREE: Integrated Marketing and Communications, Dual Specializations in Fashion and Health Communications
TIME IN NEW YORK: 4.5 years
CURRENT JOB: Communications Specialist at Hermés
THE DAY-TO-DAY: Works across Special Events, Press&VIP and media teams at Hermés. Liaison for the USA Communications department handling cross-functional and global communication with headquarters in Paris. Helps USA team with planning logistics for global events. Supports Press&VIP team with giftings, invitations and travel. Reports directly to SVP of communications and supports SVP with travel, scheduling and more.
PRIOR EXPERIENCE: As college student, interned in New York for personal stylist, Samantha Brown. Senior year served as an ambassador at the university and a remote intern for Darling Magazine. After graduation was a Special Events Freelance assistant at Vogue, supporting on the 2021 Met Gala. Stayed with the team to assist with Glamour’s Women of the Year Awards in 2021. Became the personal and executive assistant to fashion designer and CEO, Mr. Tom Ford and Charlotte Blechman (CMO) at TOM FORD. Pivoted into the art world and worked in Special Events at The Museum of Modern Art.
MOST EXCITING WORK EXPERIENCE:
The Met Gala.
“To go straight from graduating school in Mississippi, to my first job at Vogue working on the Met Gala was the very best kind of whirlwind!
For the Met Gala, I kept the ever-changing attendee list and seating chart updated, created guest-list presentations for executives, and worked on-site welcoming guests and assisting with fashion needs and seating requests.”
UPCOMING FASHION TRENDS:
“I do think an Hermés scarf would be fabulous in Mississippi! Incredibly versatile — Hermés scarfs can be worn around the neck, wrapped around a bag, placed in your hair, styled as a top, or even framed as an art piece!”
Continued on page 44
Continued from page 43
RACHEL LONG
AGE: 26
EDUCATION: The University of Mississippi, 2021
DEGREE: Integrated Marketing Communications
TIME IN NEW YORK: Almost 5 years
CURRENT JOB: Events and Partnerships Coordinator for North America at Max Mara
THE DAY-TO-DAY: Shares in cultivating the ideation, implementation and execution of events at a retail level for stores across North America as well as pop-up retail experiences and larger brand partnerships with museums, nonprofits and external partners.
PRIOR EXPERIENCE: Several internships both in New York and in Oxford at Jonesworks and Red Window Communications. Prior to joining the team at Max Mara, was the PR and Purpose Associate at J.Crew.
MOST EXCITING WORK EXPERIENCE:
“Our 10-year anniversary gala with the Whitney Museum was really exciting for us as a brand and as a team.
We partnered with the museum and their production agency to create a beautiful evening in celebration of Max Mara and the Whitney’s collaboration on our iconic Whitney handbag. Notables including Amy Sherald, Andie MacDowell, Leslie Bibb and Michelle Monaghan were in attendance, and everyone had a wonderful time celebrating the brand and the museum.”
UPCOMING FASHION TRENDS:
“This is such a great question.
I think people are really leaning into pieces that have longevity and a sense of nostalgia.
The coastal/fisherman theme we have seen in fashion trends the past two years I think will stick around and really encourage people to invest in the pieces they love that will last.”
Continued on page 46
Continued from page 44
DELANEY THOMAS
AGE: 24
EDUCATION: University of Georgia, 2023
DEGREE: Fashion Merchandising Major with a minor in Design and Media and Business TIME IN NEW YORK: A little over 2 years
CURRENT JOB: Junior Account Executive at
Rainbowwave NYC
THE DAY-TO-DAY: Manages the U.S. business for the denim and contemporary brands represented by this global sales agency. Works on sales campaigns for the brands she represents; works with and maintains relationships with buyers from stores across the North American market; analyzes current season sales to forecast business strategies and design for upcoming seasons; and preps for upcoming markets with the brands she manages.
PRIOR EXPERIENCE: Internship at Findings, another New York City fashion showroom
MOST EXCITING WORK EXPERIENCE:
The Markets. “All of the markets are really exciting, as we meet with hundreds of different buyers from across the world to introduce them to our brands, or build current relationships we already have with them. It is always really exciting to build the sales campaign and see how it does with the buyers every season. My duties during the market are running these appointments for the brands I represent and selling the brand.
What I am most excited for is going to the Paris market for the first time this October to represent my brands.”
UPCOMING FASHION TRENDS:
“I definitely think the shift of patterns to the use of fun textures and fabrications in clothing is making its way to the South. As someone who manages European brands, I am always watching the way it shifts over to the U.S. after a couple of years, and I can see its shift into the wardrobes of my favorite Southern influencers and social scenes. There is less of a focus on loud colors and patterns and more on the textures/unique features on a novelty piece of clothing, which is still exciting and vibrant in its own way. The Southern sense of style always has a spirited edge to it, and this is a perfect way to implicate this in a newer, trendier way. Think unique fabrications, appliques, fringe, lace, etc.”
Continued on page 48
VOGUE SUMMER SCHOOL
Oxford High School junior Ellie Scruggs
got a taste of the New York fashion world this summer when she spent two weeks at Vogue Summer School.
“I’ve always been in love with New York City,” she said, so when she came across information about the program, she jumped at the chance to apply. From June 8-20, Scruggs — along with other young fashionistas from all around the country — lived in the Pace University dorms in the financial district and soaked in all they could about the fashion industry.
Lectures were held daily from 9:30 p.m.-12:30 p.m. for the 200 or so participants in the program. A different speaker representing a different brand or job in the fashion industry was featured each day. After lunch, small group classes with about 15 students were led by professors with industry experience.
Evenings were open for students to explore New York. Scruggs and her new friends immersed themselves in the city.
“Growing up in Mississippi, I’ve really only been around Southern style. (New York) gave me a different eye on fashion,”
she said.
“The outfits were significantly different than what you would see in Mississippi. It was so cool.”
They visited the Upper East Side (of “Gossip Girl” fame), shopped in Soho, strolled in Central Park at sunset, wandered around Midtown. The experience exploring was as impactful on Scruggs as the class time.
“My favorite part was being on a subway with my
friends figuring it out,” she said.
Site visits as a class were also a highlight. Most exciting for Scruggs, they visited Vogue headquarters in One World Trade Center where they could see Vogue employees working on their upcoming September magazine. They even got a glimpse of the famous longtime Vogue editor Anna Wintour who made waves later in June announcing she was seeking a new editorin-chief. “That’s a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Scruggs said.
They also visited The Met and toured its “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” exhibit that’s on display through the end of October. And they went to Theory’s headquarters to hear from its clothing and design experts talk about the brand and its emphasis on sustainability and quality.
At 16, Scruggs has some time to figure out the future, but currently her dream job is something in fashion business and branding. Whatever she decides, the education and memories she made this summer in New York will be lasting.
“It was definitely the most amazing experience of my life,” she said. “It’s changed how I view everything.”
A few trends Scruggs expects to see here at home:
• Polka dots
• Denim sets
• Mixed patterns
• Barn jackets
• Suede
• Plaid and checker prints
• Fall colors: chocolate brown, burgundy, dusty rose and moss green
New Found old textures
MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY’S FASHION PROGRAM PRESERVES THE PAST IN ITS HISTORIC COSTUME AND TEXTILES COLLECTION.
WRITTEN BY EMILY WELLY
The Historic Costume and Textiles Collection at Mississippi State University is on the verge of a rebirth.
Managed by the Fashion Design and Merchandising department in MSU’s School of Human Sciences since it was established in the mid-1980s, the collection of clothing is vast.
“We have thousands of things,” said Dr. Jessica Pattison, assistant professor of fashion design and product development, who is in her second year teaching at MSU. She is also the director of the collection and is leading the effort to reimagine it.
“I’m just now opening the lid of the box to really unearth this collection and get more people to see it,” she said.
There is boutique ready-to-wear Chanel, cool 1980s-90s work wear and ballerina cocktail ball dresses from the 1950s. There are also tuxedos from late 19th century and a silk top hat for men; bustles from the mid- to latter-1800s (one with burgundy moire silk and one with a cuirass bodice). There are even examples of traditional Korean hanbok, or clothing. And there are accessories: handbags, hats, collars and cuffs.
There are also textiles, including unique examples of Trapunto quilting and sewing and numerous batik quilts.
The goal is for the collection to reflect all of Mississippi’s past and tell the stories of its people and culture.
“Representation matters,” Pattison said. “What did this place look like hundreds and thousands of years ago?”
To reflect that, Pattison says the collection must include not only designer dresses but also men’s and children’s clothing, historic athletic uniforms, traditional Native American dress, and garments like farm coveralls, vintage denim and leather chaps that reflect Mississippi’s agricultural and farming influences, equestrian history and railroad life.
The collection is part of what drew Pattison to this job.
“One of most pleasant surprises was realizing the untapped resource of the collection here,” she said. “It was the cherry on top.”
She previously taught at Virginia Tech, where she also worked with a historic costume collection, as well as Radford University and Stevenson University in northwest Baltimore. She has a Ph.D. from LSU in textiles apparel design and merchandising, and she also has industry experience working for Lululemon and luxury brand Lafayette 148 in New York.
All along, she has been interested in historic costumes and clothing as a means to tell stories and convey what’s important from the history of a specific culture or place. Much of her teaching and research has been focused on sociocultural connections to fashion and self-reliance through agricultural biproducts including animal and plant fibers that are used for fabric and clothing.
“(Clothing) tells a lot about people, place and society, it can be a really valuable resource,” she said.
Now in Mississippi, she says she is learning a lot from the history preserved in the collection at MSU and is excited for the
| PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED BY MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY
possibilities for its future.
“Wow, I feel like I have never really taught this,” she said. “The students really made me realize the importance of the collection.”
Indeed, simply having these items is not the end goal: This is a teaching collection.
“The goal is not just conserve and preserve but expand into research connections,” she said.
For example, Pattison integrated the collection into a historic costume class for a fashion revival project. She plans to use it this year to teach principles of draping by using dresses in the collection. Students also use it to learn more about how garments are made and to examine hand-stitching techniques up close; textiles classes compare natural and synthetic materials and woven structures; visual merchandising students learn how to handle, care for and display historic artifacts.
Last spring, students presented an exhibit in Colvard Student Union about the power and presence of 1980s women’s work wear, and this month a student-created exhibit will focus on garments tied to the university and the state.
Pattison has big ideas for the future of the collection. She envisions a place people can drop in during the day to view items and conduct research, much like a primary resource library. She foresees a collections manager who is responsible for the day-today management of the items and the space.
She hopes to build an interdisciplinary team of people not only from MSU’s fashion program but from all over the university.
Imagine a data science student cataloging items in a searchable database; a marketing student promoting the collection to different audiences; an agriculture and forestry student studying sustainable fibers used to make garments.
Pattison also envisions teaching others about managing and caring for a historic collection like this one.
“We want to be intraconnected in the university and also be able to invite outsiders to come use the collection,” she said.
In a first step to make all of this happen, this summer, the collection was moved out of Moore Hall, which was not only difficult to access but also not environmentally sound for the artifacts. It is now temporarily housed in Rice Hall, and plans are in the works to move it to a more permanent home in coming years.
“We’re trying to find space to build and maintain the collection with integrity,” she said. “We want significance, meaning and people’s stories to be told.”
In addition to space, Pattison said, monetary resources are needed to help with the time-consuming tasks of processing donations as well as the supplies to do so, which includes freezing garments in the department’s 18-cubicfoot deep freezer, vacuum sealing them for preservation and packing them in acid-free boxes and paper.
“This collection is incredible,” Pattison said. “I don’t want this to be a resource that gets lost.”
ON THE HUNT
LIFE EXPERIENCES IN PLACES AS FAR AS SOUTH AFRICA AND AS NEARBY AS OXFORD
LEAD ROBBIE KROGER TO TRAVEL THE WORLD PROMOTING STORIES ABOUT HUNTING.
WRITTEN BY EUGENE STOCKSTILL | PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE ORIGINS FOUNDATION
ou might assume a South African native would automatically come loaded with stories about hunting down rhinoceroses and mountain lions in the wild, just like in a classic adventure story, but you would be wrong. Robbie Kroger, the founder and executive director of the hunting advocacy group, The Origins Foundation, was born in Johannesburg, then transplanted to Oxford and now calls Collierville, Tennessee, home, but he never went hunting until he found his way to Lafayette County.
Y“South Africa is not a public land model, the United States is,” said Kroger, who took a long time to follow in the tracks of his father and grandfather, both of whom were big-game hunters.
Born in the largest city in South Africa, Kroger said his first thoughts of a career turned him in the direction of the great outdoors.
Just like children in the United States, he said, “you want to be a firefighter, you want to be a policeman. But in South Africa, you also want
to be a game ranger.”
It did not take him long to figure out that as exciting as that sounded, it was not the sort of work that would support him or a family. Around the time he was having that epiphany, he took a trip to the Okavango Delta in Botswana, one of the world’s great swamplands.
It was love at first bog.
“Ever since I was 16, I knew I wanted to work with wetlands,” he said. “It was fascinating.”
His experience there eventually connected him to Marjorie Holland, a biology professor at the University of Mississippi, which inspired him to move to Oxford for doctoral studies at Ole Miss, where he also met his wife.
During that time, a new friend in town took him hunting (for deer) for the first time in his life, just a few minutes outside of Oxford, and he got hooked on that, too.
Years after that first hunting experience in north Mississippi, he decided that if his own sons needed a good explanation about why they were
Robbie Kroger
HUNTING, FISHING & CONSERVATION Facts
Here are a few facts to consider related to hunting, fishing and conservation.
Federal measures to protect endangered species and other wildlife came about in large part because of hunters and hunting groups in the early 20th century, including the Lacy Act, which outlawed the interstate shipment of wild animals killed in violation of state laws, and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
Since 1937, the Pittman-Robertson Act, which levies an 11% tax on firearms, ammunition and archery equipment, has generated more than $12 billion for state conservation programs.
State and federal agencies in the United States require hunters to report where they have hunted and how many animals they killed, and officials monitor hunting and fishing in a variety of other ways. Hunting has been utilized to manage overpopulation, maintain healthy land management and create wildlife habitations.
As of 2022, there were at least 14.4 million active hunters in the United States, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Less than 1% of hunters in Mississippi kills their allowable limit in a season (on average 1.6 deer per hunter). The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks encourages hunters to reach the limits to help control overpopulation, which can lead to starvation and malnutrition. The statewide limit is 3 antlered bucks and 5 antlerless deer per hunter per season.
In comparison to the United States, the continent of Africa has 1.5 million square miles of habit-protected hunting, almost double the amount in this country.
This year, scientists in South Africa have injected the horns of rhinos with radioactive material as part of an effort to curtail poaching.
Sources: North Carolina State University, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, the Mississippi State Extension Service, the Associated Press
The Origins Foundation helped fund an incentive program for primary school teachers in Botswana, Africa.
going hunting, then other people did, too.
“I started realizing, ‘How am I going to communicate hunting to my boys?’” Kroger said.
And so, about seven years ago, The Origins Foundation, formerly known as Blood Origins, was born.
Kroger’s nonprofit efforts, which are a fulltime job for him these days, have taken him a long way from home. He has traveled to a dozen countries, including India, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, France, Belgium, Denmark, Mexico and nations throughout southern and eastern Africa, preaching about the benefits of hunting.
Through The Origins Foundation, Kroger shares stories about why people hunt and how their work impacts the society and environment around them. The information presented does not shy away from controversies or conflicting opinions related to hunting.
“We want to communicate to the nonhunting community,” he said. “I’m not trying to convince you to love hunting, but you can still understand the benefits that come from it. You may hate hunting, you may want to ban it, but it’s an
important tool to support the environment.”
He tells the stories through documentary films, podcasts, written articles and interviews that are posted at theoriginsfoundation.org and shared on the foundation’s many social media outlets, which have a big following: 214,000 Facebook followers; 70,000 Instagram followers, 133,000 YouTube channel subscribers.
Among numerous documentaries, there’s “Lionheart,” a film about lion houndsmen in the U.S. — men and women who hunt mountain lions with their hounds. “Protecting Aotearoa” is about wildlife conservation efforts in Fiordland National Park in New Zealand, and another film takes on a controversial hunting ban in Cabañeros National Park in Spain that Kroger believes has been disastrous for the local people, economy and environment.
Kroger also hosts The Origins Foundation podcast. In its 675 episodes, he interviews experts from around the world about topics ranging from wildlife management at Texas Hill Country ranches to elephant hunting in Africa to
Drones and cameras capture footage for The Origins Foundation’s documentaries.
conservation efforts in Pakistan.
Kroger also produces Origins Stories, short film interviews with individuals who share their backgrounds and feelings about hunting. More than 80 are posted on the foundation website. There’s Julia, a nonhunter but skilled butcher who learned the craft in culinary school and shares her perspective on hunting through that lens. Mixed martial arts fighter Corey Anderson talks about his love for hunting. Margie Grube, widow to Navy Seal Devin Grube, began hunting so she and their children could feel connected to Devin after he was gone.
Through Kroger’s storytelling, viewers get to know him as well. Bearded and robust, he looks the part of an ideal big-game hunter, and for him, going hunting is almost like being in church.
“I hunt because there’s a sense of fulfillment in it,” he said. “I get a spiritual fulfillment in the woods … I feel more connected to Mother Nature.”
theoriginsfoundation.org facebook.com/bloodorigins instagram.com/theoriginsfoundation youtube.com/@theoriginsfoundation x.com/the_origins_fdn tiktok.com/@theoriginsfoundation
The Panyame Cheetah Project, an effort to relocate an endangered cheetah population in South Africa.
ELMNT X SEAAV ROOFTOP SCULPT
n Sept. 5, ELMNT Cycle partnered with SEAAVision for a wellness event at the Oliver Hotel. Guests mingled before taking part in a high-energy sculpt workout, then wrapped up the evening with cocktails from the Oliver. Each participant left with a curated PR box filled with goodies from local and national businesses.
PHOTOS SUBMITTED
Claire Scott, Bess Fisher and Emily McElreath Sculpt class participants
Hannah Creamer, Bess Fisher and Claire Scott
Hannah Creamer and Hannah Holbrook
Lily Aukamp, Aubrey Exum and Isabel Hartz Sculpt class participants
OLE MISS TAILGATE FOR PALMER
n Sept. 6, supporters gathered for the 10th annual Tailgate for Palmer, held at the Olivia and Archie Manning Athletics Performance Center. The event featured food, drinks and football on the big screen, all to benefit Palmer Home for Children. Friends, families and Rebel fans came together to raise support for the nonprofit’s mission of providing hope and care to children in need.
PHOTOS BY REBEKAH CLAYTON
Nick Parker with Caitlyn and Parker Connell and Glynn Burns
Bryan and Emily Taylor
Ryder Jones, Ty Claussen and Will Shoemaker
Allison Walcott and Mary Shields Hunter
Sarah Jane and Jane Yerger
Maddie Fordyce, Claire Griffin and Olivia Svoboda
Anthony and Molly Savage
Anelle Harris and Amelia Webb
Shauna Kunitz and Bob Tatum
Simsie Schaff, Jaclyn Wilson and Maggie Yates
OLE MISS FCA LADIES LUNCHEON
n Sept. 11, Fellowship of Christian Athletes hosted its annual Ole Miss FCA Ladies Luncheon at Christ Presbyterian Church. The event brought women together for an afternoon of fellowship, faith and leadership.
D.T. Shackelford, Johnathan Fulcher and Andrea Mangrum
Brigitte Viner, Melissa Jones and Beth Cuthbert
Melanie Rube, Rhonda Parker, Debra Strickland and Amy Hemphill
Peggie Gillom Granderson and Lacie Fulcher
Nina Johnston, Nina Patrick and Irma Buchanan
Emily Boyce, Mary Beth Sharman, Frances Cowan, Brittni Paris, Lisa Paris, Eileen Duddleston and Jane Yerger
2ND CHANCE PARTY ON THE GREEN
nd Chance Mississippi hosted its annual Party on the Green at The Isom Place in Oxford.
Guests enjoyed live music, food from My Michelle’s, an open bar, and a silent auction to raise funds for adult education and workforce training programs for lower-income Mississippians. The evening brought together community supporters to further the organization’s mission of expanding educational opportunities across the state.
Jessica Brazell, Abbey Fancher and Caroline Brown
Sarah Rose Lomenick and Chris Lomax
Randy Klatt, Lowry Lomax and Janet Klatt
Dickie Scruggs, Dolly Marascalco and Zach Scruggs
Jackson Scruggs, Josh Gregory, Zach Scruggs, Cole Reeves and Hayden Ferguson
Ferriday McClatchy, Betsy Ritter, Patti
Sanders, Irma Buchanan and Holly Buchanan
Kati Pittman and Margaret Baker
Alon Bee, Julia Thornton, former Gov. Ronnie Musgrove and Janet Scott
Jim and Tracee Gulley
Molly and Rivers Myres
Zach Scruggs with Kent and Corinne Jackson Lanair and Haggard Collins
OLE MISS VS. GEORGIA STATE
n Aug. 30, fans filled the Grove to celebrate the season opener against Georgia State. Tailgaters enjoyed the tradition and spirit of game day, kicking off the football season in true Ole Miss fashion.
OBY REBAKAH CLAYTON
Scout and Michalee Gore
Michael and Sarah Zanders
Gage Klossner, Emma Cook, Kenzie Obrien, Anna Ryan Mayo and Ava Lyon
Harper and Ava White with Birdie Killens
Mike and Patty Molt
Kate Martin and Kiki Norminton
PHOTOS
Chapman, Haley, Shepard, Eric and Hartford Kelly
HSquared Boutique Oxford opening HSquared Boutique family and friends
Keith S. Collins Company Oxford office opening Katrina Cousar, B.J. Davis, Katy Calderwood, Keith Collins, Elliott Collins, Kristina Hopper, Sofia Aderer and Tania Hatfield
McKinley Farese
PHOTOS BY MARTHA ELLEN CHRISTOPHER
HAPPENING NOW
OXFORD MISSISSIPPI
RUN OF CHAMPIONS 5K
OCTOBER 4 runofchampions.raceroster.com
ST. PETER'S PUMPKIN PATCH
OCTOBER 5-28 stpetersoxford.org
THE HEAD AND THE HEART
OCTOBER 7 thelyricoxford.com
RETURN TO OFF SQUARE BOOKS
OCTOBER 9 thackermountain.com
OLE MISS HOMECOMING PARADE
OCTOBER 10 visitoxfordms.com
OLE MISS FOOTBALL VS. WASHINGTON STATE
OCTOBER 11 olemisssports.com
SPOOKY SIPPS
OCTOBER 15 thesippms.com/tasting-room
PINK OUT AT BAPTIST CANCER CENTER
OCTOBER 16
baptistcancercenter.com
THIRD THURSDAY MUSIC IN THE POCKET PARK
OCTOBER 16
visitoxfordms.com
CITY OF OXFORD TRUNK OR TREAT
OCTOBER 16
visitoxfordms.com
"TINA: THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL"
OCTOBER 16 fordcenter.org
SOWETO GOSPEL CHOIR: “PEACE”
OCTOBER 19 fordcenter.org
BREAST CANCER AWARENESS LUNCHEON & FASHION SHOW
OCTOBER 21
instagram.com/oxfordconferencecenter
MONSTER’S BALL BENEFITING LE BONHEUR CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
OCTOBER 23 eventbrite.com
TO THE MOON AND BACK
OCTOBER 23
thackermountain.com
NAMI WALKS OXFORD
OCTOBER 25 namiwalks.org/oxford
OUT OF THE DARKNESS WALK
OCTOBER 25 facebook.com/AFSPMississippi
GUNSLINGING ROUGHSTOCK TOUR RODEO
OCTOBER 25 visitoxford.ms
NICHOLAS AIR 5K BENEFITING FIRST RESPONDERS
OCTOBER 25 nicholasair.com
OXFORD WITCHES RIDE BENEFITING THE PANTRY
OCTOBER 27 instagram.com/oxfordwitchesride
HARVEST SUPPER
OCTOBER 30
website.commuseum.olemiss.edu
HAPPY BAD!
OCTOBER 30 thackermountain.com
THE MOLLY RINGWALDS
OCTOBER 31 thelyricoxford.com
The Head and The Heart
MAIN EVENTS
OXFORD MISSISSIPPI
THACKER MOUNTAIN RADIO
OXFORD AND WATER VALLEY
OCTOBER 9 AND OCTOBER 16
Thacker Mountain Radio broadcasts live Thursday evenings with hosts Jim Dees and Paul Tate and the Yalobushwhackers, primarily from The Powerhouse. But twice in October, it will do so from special locations. On Oct. 9, the show returns to its original broadcast home, Off Square Books, where it first started in October 1997. On Oct. 16, TMR heads to Water Valley, where it will broadcast from the Hendricks Building. For all shows, doors open at 5:30 p.m., shows start at 6 p.m. Free admission. Complete schedule and special guests are listed online.
thackermountain.com
“TINA: THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL”
OXFORD
OCTOBER 17
The Ford Center hosts “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical,” an uplifting story about Turner’s inspiring journey to the top of the music industry set to a soundtrack made up of her most beloved hits. Now touring, the show was on Broadway from 2019-2022. Tickets start at $60. Show time is 7:30 p.m.
fordcenter.org
MONSTER'S BALL
OXFORD
OCTOBER 23
This favorite annual Halloween event for adults benefits a special cause: Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. There will be music, dancing, drinks and a costume contest. A daylong golf tournament precedes the evening event. Tickets, available at eventbrite.com (search “Monster’s Ball), start at $65 with sponsorships also available. 7 p.m., Country Club of Oxford.
lebonheur.org
