MPorium Kicks Off “Collegiate Core” Store Theme

MPorium hit the ground running with its new semester theme, including items that define what it means to be a Red Fox.

MPorium celebrates this semester's grand re-opening, working together to curate a store — and experience — for all students. Photo by Owen Whelan '27

Students packed into the Steel Plant on Sept. 24 to shop, chat and experience the opening of MPorium’s “Collegiate Core” theme. MPorium, Marist College’s premier student-run fashion and accessory store, creates a unique theme every semester for the Marist community to enjoy, tying together community values and trends into an immersive experience.

“Collegiate Core” encompasses the student identity and the timelessness of academia — pendants, photographs, school spirit and nostalgia are at the center of what “Collegiate Core” stands for. New merchandise includes Marist scarves, stickers and sweatshirts. Students can also purchase decor, such as pendants, or other items like pens, straws and candy.

“We want students to feel connected to the college they chose,” said Courtney Cummings ‘27, a member of MPorium’s visual merchandising team.

The coziness of MPorium’s decor, including desks, lights, vintage photos and pendants, is meant to radiate a feeling of nostalgia where students feel at home, while also part of a larger community. To make the theme possible, the fashion department worked closely with Marist Archives, searching through old photos and yearbooks to bring the “Collegiate Core” theme to life. 

“Gen Z is really nostalgic, so getting to work with the Marist archives and showing students the history of Marist is something that we really wanted to touch upon,” said Olivia Butler ‘25, who is serving as the marketing lead on the project.

Students in the fashion department can join Fashion 315N, a class dedicated to MPorium, to contribute to deciding on the overarching theme for that semester. Among the few final options were “Collegiate to the Core” and “Beneath the Ivy.” Even with some differing ideas, deciding the theme this year was generally smooth, with many students on the same page. 

“We all made separate mood boards, but we were all on the same vibe,” said Cummings.

Support amongst MPorium curators is crucial, with cross-functionality between teams helping shape what it is today. Students setting up the MPorium boutique constantly improve the space by taking feedback from others and making changes, big or small, as the semester continues. MPorium staff emphasize the friendships they build and the strong sense of community in the shop, contributing to both enjoying the experience and creating a welcoming atmosphere.

“It’s an ‘aha’ moment when things come together and are working,” said Rebecca Brown, a senior professional lecturer within the program. “We’re always looking to push students beyond and seeing how we can do things just a little bit better; if it doesn’t work, we change it.”

Even with the broad theme of being “collegiate,” a strong effort was made to hone in on what makes Marist unique. Pictures of freshmen dorms, specific buildings and other relatable things on campus connect students and define the Marist identity.

“Students can say ‘I lived there!’ and see what has changed while still being the same Marist,” said Cummings.

All aspects of the Marist experience are covered; while MPorium is usually frequented by fashion students and faculty, “Collegiate Core” encompasses different types of students to draw them in, regardless of how they experience Marist.

“We wanted to include a lot of sports, but not only for athletes; we wanted to include the vintage aspect, but not be entirely old-fashioned,” said Cummings. 

MPorium’s new theme has vast support from the community. Butler mentioned that students and alumni alike have been providing immense positive support for the release, while also being able to ask for feedback and tips from alumni when necessary.

“MPorium is a family — they support each other,” said Brown. “This all happens in four weeks.”

MPorium’s “Collegiate Core” theme will be available through the end of the fall semester. New stock and drops are expected.