STRUT: The Runway Was Never the Point
The first rule of a normal networking event is that nobody's supposed to look at you too closely. STRUT broke that rule on purpose.
On March 9th, Tandem's patio at Carr Mill Mall turned into a runway — Spring looks from Chapel Hill's own boutiques, bubbles and Tandem's signature bites, and a room full of women who came to be seen, not just to hand out business cards. It was the first event in the Uncorked. Unapologetic. series, and it set the tone for everything that's followed: no script, no lanyards, no small talk about the weather.
Here's the part that made STRUT more than a party: every ticket did double duty. 80% of proceeds went directly to Habitat for Humanity's Women's Build — an initiative that helps women build and own their own homes. So every glass raised that night, every look on that runway, was also a stud going into a wall somewhere in Orange County. Style and substance, doing the same job.
The Boutiques
STRUT couldn't have happened without the Chapel Hill boutiques who sent their best Spring looks down that runway:
Thank You
Huge thanks to Emma Dunbar at Tandem and Stacey Martin at Content Matters for hosting the first night of this series, and to every boutique, guest, and sponsor who showed up ready to walk their own path. Thank you to our Media Sponsors, Chapel Hill Magazine, our Spotlight Sponsors, Habitat for Humanity Women’s Build.
And a special thank you to our models! Alexis Huglemyer, Amy Charney, Caledonia Buckheit, Eden Gifford, Emily Kreutzer, Erin Lauri, Janice Farringer, Jill Berman, Jodi Pegg, Kari Lenox, Lisa Lanier, Rani Dasi, Renee White, Sherry Hinkley, Stacy Mbithi, Stephanie Mcadam AND our emcee Heather!
STRUT and Share!
Boutiques
@sofiasboutiqueNC | @loveandpeace.boutique | @thisringstrue | @thefragranceshop_ | @glassboxshop | @lark_home_apparel @purplepuddlegiftsnc | @uniquities
PARTNERS
@orangehabitat | @tandem.carrboro | @YOURCONTENTMATTERS | @chapelhillmag | @evendoughnc | @carrmillmall
Spotted a look you love? Post a photo or reel and tag us! #UncorkedAndUnapologetic #STRUT
Every tag helps spread the word for the Habitat for Humanity Women’s Build.
What's Next
STRUT proved the concept: this series isn't about networking the way we've been taught to do it. It's about showing up as exactly who you are and letting that be enough.
STORY carried that forward last April, with author Anita Spring Council, author, and Erin McMullen of Durham Distillery trading the runway for a table — and proving the same idea holds true whether you're walking or talking.
Now the season closes with VISION: a curated art gallery showcase celebrating women investing in women. If STRUT was about the story we tell with what we wear, and STORY was about the stories we carry, VISION is about what we BUILD next.
Uncorked. Unapologetic. is a women's event series co-founded by Stacey Martin and Emma Dunbar, hosted at Tandem Restaurant in Carrboro, NC.
