The “Catwalk for a Cure” fashion show at 7 p.m., Nov. 24 at the University Center’s Houston Room will feature lines from a budding local designer and fashion mainstays to benefit AIDS Foundation Houston. UH’s chapter of the student organization Delta Epsilon Chi, based at the College of Technology, is hosting the event to commemorate the forthcoming World AIDS Day.

“Using fashion as an outlet seemed natural since some of our time’s greatest designers – like Willi Smith and Perry Ellis – have fallen victim to AIDS,” said Eledria Johnson, the chapter’s president. “We look forward to hosting this event in hopes of raising awareness about such a widespread epidemic that continues to grow.”

Houstonian Arthur Soliz Jr. is to show five pieces from his Socialight line, the last of which will be a cocktail dress in red to symbolize the global battle against AIDS. The 25-year-old Houston Community College student said his line incorporates natural fabrics, colors and dyes.

The 20th World AIDS Day is Dec.1 and pays tribute to the 40 million people worldwide living with HIV and AIDS. Johnson said that 20 percent of the show’s ticket sales will benefit AIDS Foundation Houston.

“Even within our own community, thousands of men, women and children are currently living with HIV, and three more Houstonians become infected every day, so we still have much work to do,” said Kelly McCann, chief executive officer of the foundation. “To that end, we are extremely grateful to Delta Epsilon Chi for its generous support of our programs, which provide housing, food, prevention and supportive services to Houstonians in need.”

The event, co-sponsored by Tootsies, M2M, Jeans Couture, Banana Republic, Aveda, Page Parkes Talent Agency and Label Fashion Productions, will employ models from both UH and Page Parkes.

Part of the Distributed Education Clubs of America, Delta Epsilon Chi is an international nonprofit for college students in a variety of educational disciplines. It focuses largely on business-related areas such as marketing, management and entrepreneurship.