The revitalization of downtown has brought Kansas City many things--great galleries, flourishing art scene, First Friday and some uber chic fashion houses that give us a taste of what's going on elsewhere. THE event of the summer is the Annual 18th Street Fashion Show. The FREE, family-friendly, outdoor show brings together twenty local designers paired with over forty local models. This years show, dubbed 'Chocolate Summer' brings collections from Kansas City's uberchic fashion houses like Spool*, shuttlecocks, Habitat and Birdies to the runway with a New York fashion week kind of feel. With ultra-hip clothes, beautious models and tunes spinning by TJ Dovebelly...it's the must-do fashion event of the summer.  

• What: The 18th Street Fashion Show, Chocolate Summer 
• Where: West 18th Street between Wyandotte and Baltimore.
• When: Saturday, June 24th at dusk (about 8pm)
• Notable Designers: Joscelyn Himes of nui Kai, who has worked with Bill Blass and Vera Wang; Lindsay Rae Miller, who was an assistant costume designer for the movie Xmen-II just for starters 
    Photo: Tom Foley