Returns came second to Forever21 opening

Nadine Kam photos
About 800 people braved the rain to wait in line for the 10 a.m. grand opening of Forever21 at Royal Hawaiian Center the morning after Christmas. The first 400 received gift cards valued from $10 to one at $210.

There were probably other things I would have preferred to do the day after Christmas, like hit the early morning +50 percent off sale at Neiman Marcus, for starters, but it was grand opening day at Forever21 at Royal Hawaiian Center (next to The Cheesecake Factory), a no-miss occasion, especially for the 800 who were in line before the store opened at 10 a.m.

The first person in line arrived before 4 a.m. but didn't want to be identified. She asked me if I could tell the TV stations to turn off their cameras, but I couldn't even stop myself from being filmed after talking to people in line and trying to slip into the store before the line was set loose. Unfortunately, to the cameras, it looked like I was the first in line to enter the store!

The de facto first in line were Rachel Wong, Shanshan Ge and Kerrie Wong. They had partied Christmas night, slept a few hours and arrived at the store per Rachel's insistence, since she's the big Forever21 fan. "They're not as crazy as I am," she said. Kerrie said they were too tired to put up a fight.

No doubt many in line were lured by the promise of gift cards awaiting the first 400 in line. Cards were valued at $10 (286 cards) to $210 (1 card). Even $10 goes a long way at the store, where many accessories are a few dollars, some T-shirts are $8.99, and even when I spot something I really, really like, it's usually something like $15.80 to $24.90. I'm so used to things I like being priced from $395 to $995, it's like reverse sticker shock.

The first person in line didn't want to be identified, but second was Rachel Wong, right, who dragged Shanshan Ge, center, and Kerrie Wong along with her, arriving at 4:30 a.m. Rachel had a Forever21 headband with her and put it on for the photo.

Doors opened at 10 a.m. and most bypassed the first-floor accessories to get to the clothes on the second and third floors.

About 20 minutes after the doors opened, I found Rachel again. She fell in love with this T-shirt and was looking for a couple more so her friends could all wear them with her. I told her she was a nut ... in a good way of course!

I thought there would be a mob scene, but at 42,520 square feet (the Ala Moana store is only about 7,000 square feet), the new store absorbed the crowd pretty well, and because there is so much merchandise on the floors, there was no fighting and grabbing. It was all very orderly and well-behaved, much more so than I would have been if I'd been waiting hours to get in.

The bummer was waiting in lines for a dressing room or to pay. I was bummed when I waited in one line to pay, only to find that it was to a dressing room I didn't need. Speaking of which, if you need or know of someone who needs a part-time job, the store's still hiring. They need a lot of bodies to fill three floors over multiple shifts from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

I don't shop at Forever21 very often, but when I have crossed the threshold, I find it hard to walk out with fewer than four items. It starts by picking one thing you like, then you see another thing that would make it an outfit, then one other thing to complete the ensemble, etc. It may be harder to leave unscathed as they continue to build cohesive collections, rather than churning out random product.

I'm not a big fan of fast fashion because of the waste factor involved. When pieces are as inexpensive as they are here, shoppers tend not to edit, but I can see the charm for those who want to get a look without spending a lot of money, especially when it comes to trend pieces like the fall's fur vest or sequined shifts, which for most people would only be good for a few outings.

Forever21 executive vice president Larry Meyer wasn't surprised by the turnout. He said, "People have become more conscious of value. Forever21 has always been about everyday low prices. They know they can trust our prices."

And even when money is in short supply, people can treat themselves to a quick wardrobe update, with every trend well represented.

"I know people like that we have new product every day," Meyer said. "It's good for residents who come back, because every time they visit, they'll see something new."

Toward that end, the company's vision team of stylists will be working overnight, at least for a month, to change up the displays so shoppers can pick up new styling tips and ideas every time they check out the manikins.

Women have been value shopping at Forever21 for decades, but what's new here is that men will now get a taste of 21Men style, and it'll be interesting to see how men's style here evolves. I love menswear and think Hawaii's men have been underserved for years, to the point where I've been contemplating opening a men's store to help guys meet women's expectations. Well, this is a start. Baby steps.

Also new for Hawaii is the arrival of the company's Faith21 line of plus-size garments up to 3X.

A display featuring a wave of denim paid homage to the store's new home.

Forever21 executive vice president Larry Meyer was there to make sure the opening went smoothly.

I heard KITV's Dan Meisenzahl picked up this T-shirt that was shown as part of a layered look.

A display of men's denim and tees.

Feliciano Dahilog III tried on some of the men's jackets.

Can Cui, visiting from New York, was also trying on jackets. He was going to pick one up because it's snowing there.

Beauty Spot: Japan style at Terra by Afloat

Nadine Kam photos
Terra by Afloat owner Ayako Hombo, left, with hairstylist Hide Shibata.

The new Japanese-style hair salon Terra by Afloat opened its doors Dec. 1, and hosted a grand opening party Dec. 20, with a trio of 5-minute hair demonstrations that included a long cut, an updo and frothy curls with no perm.

Afloat is a popular beauty salon chain throughout Japan, noted for its association with numerous Japanese celebrities and JPop group such as News, Kat-tun and Kanjani 8.

Terra by Afloat owner Ayako Hombo said she'd been traveling to Hawaii for four years and noticed a number of boutiques and restaurants catering to individuals from Japan, and she thought what was missing were salons.

"My friend said he was having a difficult time choosing a salon," she said. "He said he was scared to try a local salon."

The new salon will focus on haircuts, color, Japanese straight perms, eyelash extensions, and a room upstairs makes it possible to to feature esthetic services such as facials, lymph drainage, lomilomi and hot stone massage services.

Hombo said one difference between American and Japanese salons is that many American salons use only a few chemical systems for perms and color, but Japan salons feature a larger array to accommodate many different types of hair.

The new salon is at 560 Pensacola St., between Kapiolani Boulevard and Waimanu Street. Call 596-2386 or visit www.terrabyafloat.com.


iPhone video link

After the hair demo, stylist Keiji Ogikubo hammed it up with his model Emily Aoyama.

From left are models Aoyama, Calla Camero and Kim Long.

Pupu were presented on the stylists' tool carts.

Hide Shibata's tool arsenal included a Spider-Man pen.

FITTED shows POG love

FITTED photo

The young, local clothing company FITTED has partnered with Hawaiian Sun to offer limited-edition caps featuring a print with a bright splash of citrus imagery to evoke small-kid time memories of cooling off with the Hawaiian Sun’s POG (passion-orange-guava) juice.

The design features the fruit on a backdrop map of the Hawaiian island chains, with a woven bill symbolizes the baskets once used to transport the fresh fruit.

Only 144 caps are being made available for $59, beginning today. There’s also black logo shirts for $30. For every purchase of the Hawaiian Sun cap, shoppers will receive a six-pack of Hawaiian Sun juice and a custom FITTED x Hawaiian Sun plastic cup.

Patagonia leads by green example

Nadine Kam photos
Yvon Chouinard, left, with surf legend Gerry Lopez.

Patagonia hosted a grand opening event celebrating its Honolulu store at 940 Auahi St. on Dec. 12.

Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard was there to welcome Patagonia ambassadors and surf legends, Mary Osborne and Tom Doidge-Harrison, to the VIP event, which included a silent auction of merchandise donated by the surf ambassadors, including surf lessons with Doidge-Harrison in Ireland.

I didn't know Chouinard would be attending, and it was an honor to meet the outdoor legend and mountain climber who was one of the first, if not the first to introduce the concept of environmentally conscious retail through Patagonia's sustainable practices.

I didn't expect to be interviewing him on the spot, but while I had him cornered at the pupu table, why not?

In spite of the down economy, he said Patagonia has had three of its best years.

"Recessions are good for us, because when people don't have money, they stop buying fashion and start looking for something that will last a long time.

"The younger kids are also hearing our environmental message and are really supporting us."

The Patagonia founder holds court with his many surf ambassadors. Clockwise from top left are Fletcher Chouinard, Gerry Lopez, Kimi Wenner, Yvon Chouinard, Kim Diggs, Keith Malloy and Chris Malloy. In front are Kohl Christensen, left, and Dan Malloy. I don't know who the girl is.

He's a rare retailer, for whom selling is not as much of an aim, as spreading the word about protecting nature and Earth's resources by leaving the lightest footprint possible.

Considering the movement started 40 years ago and it's only been within the last two years that retailers have begun to embrace the sustainability movement, Chouinard said he never thought he would see this day.

He's currently consulting with companies like Wal-Mart toward helping them green their business.

Patagonia's garments are made to last so that wearers don't have to buy new apparel every few years, and the company has a policy of repairing any manufacturing defects (not applicable to normal wear and tear or damage), so people are less inclined to throw a piece out.

"We don't want people to buy something unless they really need it, and if they do buy it, we'll guarantee it for life. If it breaks down because it's our fault, we'll fix it. And if they get tired of it and want to get rid of it, we'll help them find another owner for it," said Chouinard, who's most excited about Patagonia's Common Threads Initiative, which brings the manufacturing loop full circle, from birth to rebirth, in recycling its old apparel to create new products.

A bountiful arrangement of pupu preceded a heavier selection that came later.

All of Patagonia's fibers and materials can now be recycled, from Nylon 6, to cottons, wools, hemp and polyester. Inside the store, there are display containers that show the process of transforming cut-up pieces of clothing into powder, solid and thread forms, to final swatch of new fabric, and you can read more about the company's environmental initiatives at www.patagonia.com under the heading "Environmentalism: What We Do."

I asked him how he thought Hawaii was doing on the sustainability front, and he's direct in his response.

"It's the worst state in the nation for sustainability," he said, taking into account the fuel it takes to fly people in and out of state, and move goods here.

He's not optimistic about the future of fossil fuel, and when I asked him for advice, he said, "Grow taro." At least then we could feed ourselves when the planes stop flying.

If all else fails Hawaii, we should always have taro and poi. The Patagonia grand opening was also marked by a number of environmental, ocean and earth displays and ideas.

Kate M's gown speculation begins!

WWD photos
Karl Lagerfeld envisions "a Victorian wedding dress, with a twist—high boots and open in the front," for Kate Middleton's marriage to Wills.

On Yahoo today, there's a story about designers envisioning wedding gowns for Kate Middleton.

It's fun to look at their illustrations and ideas, but without knowing much about her, it's hard to guess what kind of style she might go for. It's fun to guess, though, and it amounts to the ultimate fantasy for many women. Leading up to the April 29 event, many will probably be enjoying the vicarious thrill of plotting the perfect wedding along with the royals.

Diana Spencer's wedding gown looked more like a Disney confection than grounded in any kind of reality.

Middleton seems to be a very sophisticated, contemporary but classic kind of woman, so I wouldn't think she would opt for some of the frillier, ruffled designs, and certainly nothing as hideous as what Diana wore. (It was the '80s, a time of universal bad taste if that's an excuse.) Though it is a royal wedding, a good excuse to be over the top.

I liked this design by Rachel Roy, for WWD: I like that it's clean, classic and modern, with a nod to tradition with the big Brit hat. But is it international audience, royal worthy? Maybe a little too intimate, church-y.

I'm sold on Monique Lhuillier's fluid, romantic design at the bottom of the page. The designer said, "The royal wedding will be magical. Kate’s dress should be a modern mix of the traditional and contemporary."

Escada delivers spring preview

Nadine Kam photos
Kate Schuette in one of Escada's Reflection print ensembles for spring/ summer 2011. The dress is also shown without the jacket, below, with its agate-and-stone halter, meaning its wearer won't have to scramble to find jewelry.

Escada, Ala Moana Center, hosted a trunk show Dec. 10, with an informal lunch presentation of its new resort collection and sneak preview of its spring/summer 2011 ready-to-wear collections, inspired by the global sojourner, with several beautiful prints and colors reminiscent of the Africa, from watering holes to savannahs; the pink, red, violet and black hues of a volcanic sky; the kimono and obi traditions of Japan; and the work of Spanish Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi.

The brand has never looked younger or more vibrant, light and breezy, without forgetting the sophistication or classic tastes of its current customer. New drawstring Bermuda shorts have a comfortable ease that can be easily dressed up or down to suit any adventure that awaits its wearer.

Escada's regional director of stores for West Coast, Bora Song, and West Coast visual manager, Alfred Movsessian, brought the collections to Hawaii, and throughout the presentations, Bora put on many of the pieces to show how they worked, not just on tall models, but on Asian shorties as well.

You can check out Escada's official video here.

Deanna Elerick in a Monet print gown with origami-style bodice.

The Safari print was one of my favorites, and I also loved the asymmetry of this dress.

A leather tunic worn with a drawstring Bermuda short. The jewelry piece at the neckline is of metal and leather, and is detachable if you're sending the piece to the dry cleaners or want to get another look out of it. Styling options include dressing down with denim, or layering the tunic over a turtleneck sweater when traveling to colder regions.

An Antoni Gaudi-inspired metallic dress. Escada's new shoe collection, also below, is also getting a lot of attention from international media, for obvious reason!

This sequin dress was a hit because of its reversible quality. Brushing the sequins up revealed a lighter, brightly colored pattern underneath, that many people had to try themselves. I didn't ask Kate how she felt about people brushing their hands up and down her stomach! Conceivably, if you turn all the sequins, you'd get a whole new dress. More of the white pattern is revealed below.

Presenting the collection in Honolulu were, from left, regional director of stores for West Coast Bora Song, West Coast visual manager Alfred Movsessian, and Escada Ala Moana store manager Jane Moon.

Holiday at Trump, Part II

Nadine Kam photos
Haley Pancipanci, whose mother is stylist Crystal Pancipanci, was the youngest guest at a Sephora event and spa open house at the Spa at Trump Dec. 7. Both mother and daughter signed up for fresh manicures.


Sephora and the Spa at Trump teamed up for a holiday beauty event at the Trump International Hotel Waikiki Dec. 7, with the offer of makeup touchups, nail polish changes, mini facials and quick shoulder massages.

I could probably use a masseuse working at my desk eight hours a day due to the occupational hazard of persistent typing fatique. I'm so used to my shoulders and that arm muscle near the elbow aching that I think that's all that's wrong, but principal massage therapist Christiane Coty's strong hands told me otherwise. The pains go all the way down my spine, though the shoulder pains usually distract from them. Good to know.

In the manicure room, I was admiring the chocolate brown color stylist Crystal Pancipanci was getting, but guests were able to sign up for the mini services in advance, and all were booked.

In the makeup room, Stila makeup artist Starr Gentry was sharing the brand's latest holiday products, including its fantastic Color Wheel eyeshadow palette with a pro artist lookbook showing the many looks that can be achieved with the $38 37-color palette. It includes a trio of rosy colors that can do double-duty on cheeks.

Many of us were drawn to tubes of glitter eye liner, available in multiple colors, which Sephora staffers used to apply sparkling cat eyes, perfect for the party season ahead!

Stila makeup artist Starr Gentry was helping Sephora with makeup application. She's sharing some of Stila's new holiday products with Helena Barahal, whose daughter Olivia is in the background.

Starr was showing Stila's big (at about 8-by-8 inches) new holiday Color Wheel Eyeshadow Palette. Thirty-six wet/dry colors for $38. With rosy colors that can also double as cheek color, it may be the only palette you'll need for a long time. It comes with a booklet, left, of eye looks created by Stila's makeup artists, using every color.

Faye Ross, of Stella Honolulu, showed me her four-ways earrings. You can see how the entire earring at upper left, breaks down into the three other pieces shown. It's one way to get four looks out of one approximately $58 pair of earrings. To date, the Spa at Trump is the only place that carries them, and she said they'll be available in Monterey, Calif., before they hit the mainstream in Hawaii. The piece at the far right is an add-on accessory.

Tiare Thomas, left, with Tiffany Below.

Guests Tiana and Nobuhide Torii.

Party guests in red and black, from left, Reine Ah Moo, Anya Rozova and Kyle Kagamida.

Holiday fashion at Trump, Part I

Nadine Kam photos
Designer Bernard Foong, center, with models Kristie Dias, left, and Kristen Stephensonpino in his creations.

The holidays were cause for two back-to-back parties at The Trump International Hotel Waikiki. The first, "Dress to the Nines," took place Dec. 6, with Hawaii Red Magazine presenting a fashion show by Bernard Foong, and also featuring silver jewelry and objets d'art by Maxi Hawaii, showcasing the work of the versatile Miao brothers, Richie and Howard.

In addition to standard evening gowns in red, black and white for the holidays, plus pretty, feminine florals, Bernard's showcase included his signature lingerie bustier and fantasy creations. With spring also around the corner, some of the frothy creations in pink were compared to the work of 18th century French Rococo painter Jean-Honoré Fragonard, whose works were known for a certain joie de vivre and playful eroticism.

Foong, who was raised in Malaysia, and trained in Europe, has worked internationally and makes his home on Maui. You can read more about his work in my past story here. He is currently shopping around for a boutique location in Waikiki.

Meanwhile, I'm hearing that Ivanka Trump may be in the islands for her own presentation at the hotel in Spring 2011. If everything I'm hearing about materializes, 2011 will be much more exciting than 2010. Crossing fingers!

Kristie Dias in front of one of the Trump International Hotel's lobby trees.

From left are Kristen Stephensonpino, Jennifer Cox and Myana Welch in holiday red and white.

Kristen in a frothy pink dress that had one observer comparing it to paintings by 18th century French Rococo painter Jean-Honoré Fragonard, whose works "The Swing" and "Love Letters" are below.

Lee-Ann Kong shows the back of one of Foong's more gothic creations.

Cory Dias lounges in a floral gown.

Malie Moran's Hawaii Red Magazine helped host the event, that also featured jewelry from Richie Miao's Maxi Hawaii. Below, his brother Howard shows that he's moved far beyond scrolled jewelry to such objects as a Bearbrick with crystal paws and a silver chest, and at the bottom of the page, a sterling silver Gundam figure.