Student's Glam show brings style to school

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Clarice Redding has already rung up 580 community service hours, so the 17-year-old junior at Dreyfoos School of the Arts hardly needs more.

But she's earned plenty prepping for Wednesday's Viva La Glam fashion show to benefit the American Cancer Society.

With a little help from her friends, parents Andre and Pat Redding and more than one local business, Clarice has taken Viva La Glam from a germ of an idea to what she hopes is a gem of a fund-raiser.

"I have no idea how it fell into place, but I'm thankful that it did," says Clarice, with misplaced modesty.

As anyone who's watched America's Next Top Model or Project Runway or The Apprentice knows, herding almost three dozen models, coordinating roughly 100 outfits and organizing a charity event at a downtown club isn't for the faint of heart.

But Redding says she was tired of raising money simply by hawking various products.

"Selling things is a lot of fun, but I thought, 'Can we produce something that people will remember?' "

A fashion show would fit the bill. "I love dressing up. My friends do, too, so that helps," she says. "Our school is full of beautiful people who have no style. So why not dress them up for one night?"

Dillard's at the Mall at Wellington Green agreed to provide all the clothes, accessories and makeup and is helping Clarice locate hairstylists.

Store manager Stacy Keene found Clarice to be "very professional, very responsive, interested in making a change in the community."

Each person attending the fashion show will receive a 15 percent-off coupon to use at Dillard's from April 28 to 30. When those coupons are used, Dillard's will donate the 15 percent saved to the American Cancer Society.

Local dance and musical groups will provide the entertainment. And the Ultra Lounge - where the event will be held - is providing the location at basically no cost, Clarice says.

But she says the most important aspect of the evening won't be the fashions or the food or the hip-hop fusion group. It will be $2,000 to $7,000 that Clarice hopes to raise.

She's lost several family members to cancer over the last five years, and her mother, Pat - who oversaw fittings of all the models at Dillard's - is a cancer survivor.

"We've found cures for a lot of things," Clarice says. "Cancer could be next."

The Ultra Lounge is at 313 Clematis St., West Palm Beach. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at the customer service desk at Dillard's at the Mall at Wellington Green. For more information, call Dillard's at (561) 227-5470.

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