This spring, fashion comes to life as top designers display their work during Strut ’08 , a fashion, music, and dance show being held at North Hills. The May 3, 9:00 pm event will feature seven nationally-recognized fashion designers, each with Raleigh roots and a personal or professional tie to the Triangle-area. Models wearing seasonal styles, prominent local talent, and several area boutiques will take to the runway for a televised show.

“Raleigh has never hosted a fashion event like Strut ’08,” says Brian Williams, creator/producer of the show and president of Brian Williams Television. “The time is right. The Triangle is home to a fashion-conscious, creative class who has a distinct taste for well-designed clothing.”

The fashion designers include:

• Amy Stephenson , who grew up in Johnston County and has a well known line of jeans
• Miranda Laughlin , a graduate of Cary’s Athens Drive High School, known for her Bleighm line of dresses, shirts and pants
• Jewelry Designer Elizabeth Yarborough grew up in Louisburg and still has family living in the area
• Holly Aiken , also a graduate of NCSU, designs handbags in her Raleigh studio called Stitch
• Chuck Stewart , owner of Tumbling Colors, designer of fabrics used worldwide in the fashion industry, will serve as a special consultant for the show
• Victor Lytvinenko, a graduate of the School of Design at North Carolina State University, uses rare, expensive denim spun in Greensboro, N.C., to make his distinct and successful line of Verses Jeans.
• Bruce Wilson, from his Meschantes Couture studio and gallery in Raleigh, resurrects the art of designing the classic, custom-fitted corset for both men and women.

Local clothiers and boutiques will also feature their designs in the show — NV Clothes for Men, Verses Jeans, Uniquities, Meschantes Couture, Kerry Catherine Jewelry, Scout and Molly’s, Phortiistorm, The Metallic Spiral, J & B Clothing, bebe and SoHo along with a special “Art to Wear” designer from NCSU.

Williams has partnered with Social the Magazine to produce the show that will be held in (most likely) North Hills’ former Storehouse location. The venue will feature a red-carpet entry, a 640-square-foot entertainment stage and a 40-foot fashion runway. Betzi Hekman is the fashion coordinator for the production and Samuel Cole Salon and Salon Moxie are providing all hair/makeup services for the 35 models specified by the designers.

A silent auction held online and auctioned off prior to the show will benefit Interact of Wake County and will feature items personally selected and donated by the designers as well as other items.

For more information visit www.Strut08.com . Online ticket sales will begin March 1 on this site. Ticket prices will range from $25 – $100.