Local models will strut the catwalks for a cause Saturday.

The Student Merch-andising Association will sponsor “Classic City Trends 2002,” a fashion show featuring clothing from local retailers and local models.

All proceeds from the show will be donated to an organization close to the association’s collective heart — The Alliance for Lupus Research.

Association member Kristen Williams was diagnosed with Lupus, an auto-immune disorder, two years ago.

Lupus causes the body’s immune system to attack itself and can do serious harm to joints, organs and other tissues, Williams said.

This is one reason Williams said she was ecstatic when the association decided to hold the fashion show with all proceeds benefiting ALR.

ALR, one of the largest Lupus organizations in the nation, was started by New York Jets owner and member of the Johnson & Johnson family, Robert Wood Johnson IV.

“ALR has the potential to become one of the most highly focused organizations working to treat and eventually cure a single disease,” Williams said.

There is currently no cure for Lupus, a disease that can be devastating if not deadly, she said.

“Basically, what comes along with Lupus is a lot of ups and downs,” Williams said. “It’s a very unpredictable disease with a lot of fatigue and pain.”

Aside from the physical aspects of being sick, she said Lupus is an “invisible disease,” and this often causes problems because sufferers may not appear to be outwardly ill.

“I think this will be a major step in promoting Lupus awareness at UGA and in the Athens community,” Williams said.

The majority of those diagnosed with Lupus are young women, she said.