Spring Inspiration Fashion Show celebrates 25th anniversary

On Saturday, 9 April, one of the largest annual student events was held in Jönköping, Spring Inspiration Fashion Show. The fashion show is Scandinavia’s largest student-run fashion show and is organized by students within Jönköping International Business School’s student association but involves students from all four schools at Jönköping University.

This year’s fashion show, the 25th in the order, was held at Elmia and resulted from several years of preparation since the show could not be performed live during the pandemic years. This year’s theme was “25 and thriving”. The catwalk was the longest in the history of Spring Inspiration, with its 24 meters.

“It feels a bit unreal, actually. We’ve been working so long for this,” says Ellen Johansson, one of the project managers for the event.

A dozen brands were showcased during the two-hour-long fashion show, followed by an after-party for all participants and the approximately 600 visitors who enjoyed the show.

Every year, a project group consisting of participants from all four schools are appointed to work on the show’s planning. The work involves marketing the event, recruiting models, finding premises, partners, and artists, and keeping the fashion show together when it comes time for the catwalk. During the last year, the project has been led by project managers Ellen Johansson and Emilia Heidar. When the doors to Elmia opened at 18:00 on Saturday evening, they could finally see the result of their work.

When they became project managers a year ago, it was uncertain whether the show would be able to be held in front of a live audience.

“We were hoping, but so we did a year ago too. We got a bit nervous when the restrictions came back last autumn and Christmas,” says Ellen Johansson.

Ellen knew about the show even before starting her studies at Jönköping International Business School (JIBS).

“I knew I should be part of Spring Inspiration. That was something that I had already decided before I started studying. I checked out all projects available to participate in and said to myself: That’s where I’m going to be!”

This year’s project group consisted of 23 people, divided into different responsibilities.