Knocking the knock-offs

The copy is a La Femme gown from eDressMe.com, $196.

The day after every awards show, I get all these emails about how to get the celebs' look for less. Do you know anyone who would want to mimic the stars this way? I don't. These from the SAG Awards are way too "adult prom."

The copy is a BG Haute gown from eDressMe.com, $238.

Signs of spring

Headed to Ala Moana Center today to photograph Deena White Tearney's Umee designs for a story coming up Thursday.

Of course I wandered around afterward to take a look for signs of spring, which were everywhere. Everything's coming up light and pink. It's always as if the blanket of winter is lifted.

I loved the feminine touches in the window at Dior:

Pop!

There's a newcomer on the Hawaii 'zine scene, Pop Iroiro. 

 Zakkamono photo

If you raad Hawaii magazines, you're probably already familiar with the work of local graphic designer/art director Zakkamono and photographer Rae Huo, maybe without even knowing it.

The two have been freelancers for publications and corporate clientele for years, but now the Internet has enabled them to self-publish on their own terms. The first issue of their online magazine Pop Iroiro — literally "anything and everything" — has made its debut, featuring Zakkamono's artwork and Rae's photos, in 62 pages.

How do I know about it? I'm the first subject of Rae's 20 questions feature.

Check it out at www.popiroiro.com.

 

Some of Rae Huo's "14 Things."

Paris haute couture via Storify

Click here to see photos from the Paris haute couture shows in Storify format.

Spent two days last weekend in a bunch of classes informing media types how to be better storytellers in various social media formats.

It drives me crazy sometimes because if there's a new tool, I HAVE to play with it. I'm in a lot of places on the web, so people reach out from every corner. These days I have to check every medium possible to see who's trying to get in touch with me from where. For the record, though, if someone's sending releases through Facebook I may not take them as seriously as someone reaching out through a more formal email press release. After all, anyone can dash out a sentence on the fly.

Anyway, that's how I ran aground trying some slideshow formats that aren't playing well with Wordpress. On the other had, instructors also led me to Storify.com, which aggregates content on Twitter. It pulls together all the information on a search subject, whether you want it for yourself, or to share.

For instance, I searched for "Paris haute couture" in search of some pics from the runway, and through Storify I could pick and choose those worth sharing with followers/friends on Twitter and Facebook.

Storify is in Beta mode right now, so if you want to try it, you'll have to give them your email and they'll send you a passcode key to get started. If you're interested.

Help cast Perry Ellis show via Facebook

Perry Ellis photo
Vote via Facebook for your favorite model.

If you ever thought you'd make a great casting director, Perry Ellis is giving you the opportunity to see how your pick measures up through the interactivity of Facebook.

The company is hosting "The Most Wanted Model contest" at www.Facebook.com/PerryEllis. The site features nine of the newest faces in men’s modeling, and fans of the brand, or those who become fans, will be able to vote on their favorite. The winner will get to walk in Perry Ellis's New York Fashion Week show, taking place 11 a.m. Feb. 11.

The contest launched today on Perry Ellis’s Facebook page, with a short video featuring each contestant demonstrating why they deserve to win. The deadline for votes is Feb. 7. The top three models, based on preliminary voting, will be announced on Feb. 8, and the winner will be announced at the Perry Ellis show before the lights go down and the models walk.

Viewers will be able to watch the show at www.PerryEllis.com and www.facebook.com/PerryEllis.

Miu Miu in the eyes of female filmmakers

Miu Miu photos
Audrey Marnay in Miu Miu in Zoe Cassavetes' "The Powder Room."

The feminine love affair with Miu Miu is explored in "The Miu Miu Womens' Tales," a series of short movies directed by international female filmmakers. The first video, "The Powder Room" by Zoe Cassavetes, is being featured on miumiu.com, where you can also watch backstage footage and interviews with the actors and director.

"The Powder Room" is set in London’s posh Claridges hotel, where Cassavetes uses the romantic codes of the powder room to mirror the beauty and luxury of the Miu Miu brand, as a place where women can, if just for a moment, escape the universe of men.

The video stars Audrey Marnay, with models Caroline de Maigret, Line Gost and Sophie Vlaming also entering the
dream-like setting.

While showcasing Miu Miu clothing and accessories, each film will be as individual as each director’s particular cinematic point of view.

Polyascko2's 'A Philosophy Fashioned' for men

John, left, and Gerald Alexander pose with their models after their Polyascko2 fashion show at The Edition Waikiki Jan. 22.

Polyascko2's John and Gerald Alexander put on one of the most ambitious shows I've seen in a while at The Edition Waikiki Saturday night, about 15 models, about 80 ensembles, running more than an hour long. For comparison, each New York Fashion Week show typically runs 15 to 20 minutes.

I was making my video, noting YouTube has increased its time limitation to 15 minutes from 10. Woohoo! since my video was running 11 minutes long. My co-worker said that kind of running time is self-indulgent, but I figure the models want to see themselves, the designers never get to see the show because they're backstage, etc. I probably included two-thirds of what was shown, which were the designers' statement three-quarter sleeve shirts, some casual street and outerwear, cardis and some sharp suiting.

I headed to the dressing room after the show (no, not to see men undressing!) to check out the clothing, beautifully cut and sewn from great fabric. I expected no less from the made-in-Italy garments, which are well worth their price points, starting at about $175.

I love the crisp, polished look presented, definitely worthy of the big leagues, though here, the buttoned-up looks will be a hard sell for men more accustomed to the hang-loose mentality. They're most likely to find a niche in Waikiki, with exposure to international clientele, and guys with money, who aren't afraid to make a statement with their clothing.

All day long, there was a fear that it might start raining at any time, a big worry because the show was taking place on the hotel's open-air pool deck. It is such an amazing venue for a fashion show, and this was the biggest to take place on the property since it opened last October.

I loved the way trees framed the models, and even when it rained, the water slick on the wood deck created a dark, ambient shine.

I would love to see more shows here, but for women's shows, they might have to add flooring over the deck because skinny heels could easily slip through some of the wood slats, as those who wear them quickly find out.

Other guests did not find any charm in the couple episodes of rain, which sent some scurrying for cover (which is why it looks empty in certain parts of the video), and others grabbing pillows off the loungers to cover their 'dos.

Pacing for the show could have been better, but that would have entailed hiring more models. With gaps between model appearances, the show ran a little too long for those unaccustomed to seeing that much menswear in one sitting. One girl moaned, "This is so boring, it's all men's!"

I guess she hadn't bothered to check on the details of the show before deciding to show up!

I think the brothers did a great job in showing Honolulu what a real fashion show looks like, and hope they inspire others to improve on that foundation.

Click on Hudson's photo for my YouTube video.

Video link for iPhone

Women ushering guests to their seats found time to pose on the red carpet.

Rules meant to be broken

Nadine Kam photo

Sooo ... after the Golden Globes I made a snarky comment about Helena Bonham Carter's mismatched red and green shoes, and then, I recently had lunch at Big City Diner, where I was sitting near a Japanese tourist wearing these multi-color Converse All-Stars, and I thought that was so fun!

Whiplash!

That just goes to show you how confusing the fashion "rules" can be to the average person who might be thinking how can I not like something one day, and like it the next???

It's mostly a difference in context, a casual restaurant setting, vs. what is supposedly a glamorous venue. Some people want to make a different kind of statement or grab some attention, that's fine, but in that case, Helen didn't go far enough. The shoes in themselves were not fabulous and made no statement save for calling attention to their color difference.

I'm sure it matters not a bit to her, and chutzpah is its own kind of style.

Hawaii debuts on 'Kimora' tonight

Four months after Kimora blew into town for the filming of "Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane," the Hawaii episode airs  at 7 p.m. today on the Style network.

East Coast friends called to say they saw me in it and word is the Hawaii crews do not come off well. I'll be watching tonight to see how close reality TV comes to reality.

Here's the refresher in case you missed the happenings of last August: http://bit.ly/etzU6n

Wilhelmina coming to Hawaii

An affiliate office of Wilhelmina is Honolulu-bound. Longtime ADR agency owner Ryan Brown signed a licensing agreement with the global modeling powerhouse, and the first model open call will take place Feb. 19 at Windward Mall. I'll have more information closer to the date, but if you have modeling ambitions, it's probably wise to get your portfolio in order.


Wilhelmina Hawaii will open with two divisions, men and women, with plans to add teens and children in fall, encompassing editorial, high fashion, ramp and commercial modeling. The new affiliate will actively scout, develop and produce models for national and international markets, including possible placement Wilhelmina International's corporate offices in Los Angeles, New York and Miami.

Brown has been a Hawaii agent for almost 20 years, and has been the owner of the Screen Actors Guild franchise agency, ADR Agency for 12 years. ADR will continue its operations under agency director Nazarene Anderson.

For more information, call 447-9434.

Mark your calendars

Time flies and Acid Dolls celebrates its 1st anniversary Sunday with a 4 to 7 p.m. sale event. Details are in the flyer above. Help Cindy and Wendy King celebrate!

>>>>><<<<<

After spending a decade paying her fashion dues in L.A., Malia Leong of Stizar Productions and Stizar Couture is making her way home to present a fashion show for the Hard Rock Cafe Waikiki grand opening Jan. 28. Details on the flyer above.

She says, "I'm hoping this event will open a lot of eyes into what fashion and design should look like and be."

Her goal: To make Hawaii a fashion capital. I'm down with that!

>>>>><<<<<


Time flies II! It seems I was just at the 2010 Sacs in the City, and now it's time for the 2011 event!

The event, presented by the Junior League of Honolulu, features lunch, a fashion show and much socializing, but the main attraction is a silent auction on the latest luxury handbags. The theme this year is "Rodeo Drive in Paradise" and Tory Burch will be sponsoring the fashion show, showcasing its Spring 2011 collection

The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. March 5 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort & Spa. Tickets are $85 per person. To purchase individual seats or a table or to sponsor the event, call 946-6466 or visit the JLH website at www.JuniorLeagueofHonolulu.org. You can visit the group's Facebook fan page at: “The Junior League of Honolulu’s Sacs in the City.”

The event benefits the League’s community projects for women and girls.

Paris men's designers go bold for fall

Style.com photos
Jean Paul Gaultier's designs are being cast as suited for a new James Bond who embraces his feminine side, outwardly masculine but hiding fishnets tights, silken scarves and peekaboo cutouts.

OMG is what I have to say about the fall-winter men's collections being shown in Paris this week. The past two years have been about basics as the iffy world economy scared design houses from taking too much risk. It's added up to a lot of repetition and dullness on the retail floor.

I've picked up inexpensive things here and there, but haven't really been buying clothes for a year, watching the seasons come and go, trying things on, but not feeling inspired to take the last step and walk something to the cashier, when after all, how many black jackets, T-shirts and pieces of denim can one have? I could only come to the conclusion that I was buying the same pieces over and over, and didn't want to continue on that track.

So the latest Paris collections are like a beacon of light. If designers are feeling more comfortable with creativity, we have a lot to look forward to come fall. I can't wait to see what they have in store for women when the haute couture shows start on Monday!

To check out all the photos from the shows as they happen, visit Style.com.





Thierry Mugler designs.

Issey Miyake design.

Viktor & Rolf design.

Beauty Spot: Kali's a hands-down winner

Nadine Kam photos
Kali's Nail Supply stocks a wide array of nail products, including China Glaze polish, which she says has just surpassed OPI in popularity.



One of the under-the-radar beauty spots in town is Kali's Nail Supply. Kali Gregory has been an industry wholesaler for 24, going on 25 years in 2011, but lesser known, she's also open to retail clients.

While certain products are only available to licensed salon professionals—such as Calgel, due to training and safety issues—she stocks an array of polishes, bath and body products that anyone can purchase.

Although she's just around the corner from our office at Restaurant Row, I didn't find out about Kali's until she announced her series of First Sunday sales, the next one to take place Feb. 6., and she's adding a First Monday sale as well, for those who can't make it on the weekend.

Kali Gregory looks out for her customers. She said her accountant thinks she's crazy to offer her First Sunday and Monday discounts, when the profit margins on a bottle of nail polish are already small.

She calls herself a crazy Greek for wanting to save money and wanting to help others do so too, such that on higher end products, she'll try to stop people from buying, encouraging them to wait for First Sunday and Monday, when she offers 20 percent off a $20 minimum in product purchases.

I wouldn't call her crazy, but effervescent. She has a lot of enthusiasm for her products, and can explain the obvious and not-so-obvious uses of each one, such as using Be Natural Dry Heel Eliminator on her face. Billed as being good for cracked skin, she points to some wrinkles around her eyes and says, "These are cracks!"

I looked at the ingredient list, which is typical of any face moisturizer. The ingredients don't distinguish between your face or feet.

If you have any concerns at all about nail products, salon practices, fungal solutions, Kali's always willing to share her knowledge about the various product lines.

Drop by and take a look, or mark your calendar for First Sunday (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and Monday (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.) On First Sundays, she also presents Calgel demonstrations from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Regular hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays and Fridays, and 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. She's at 547 Halekauwila St., in the one-story building in back of the circuit court building. The building has a paid lot, but parking is free in the spaces marked Kali's.

Call 585-8788; neighbor islands call toll-free 1-888-883-KALI (5254), or find more information online at www.kalisnailsupply.com.

Zoya is one of the most popular brands for health-conscious buyers and expectant mothers. The nail enamels are vegan friendly, formulated without formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and camphor.

For those who like a bit of dazzle, Nubar Nail Jewels are among the products that can do the trick.

American Girl entries put judges to test

Nadine Kam photos
Mi Cielo's Kayo Master looks over a batch of our American Girl contest entries.

We knew that the first American Girl doll from Hawaii, specifically Kauai, would be popular, but we didn't expect such a flood of entries to our contest to design an outfit for the doll, named Kanani Akina.

Our contest had young girls color in a garment for Kanani, and older girls drawing a garment. We received more than 600 entries in the contest, with the doll as prize. It's really tough to judge because the girls have done such a fantastic job with their entries, with many going beyond drawing the dress to putting thought into detailed accessories, many of which we wish we could have ourselves!

Helping us to narrow the field were guest judges Mi Cielo's Kayo Master and Moopiland's Keiko Knudson, both of whom's exuberant and fun childrens' wear designs have led to them to expand to adults due to popular demand.

They both did a great job and the results will be seen in next Thursday's Style section.

Thanks Kayo and Keiko!

Keiko Knudson, right, helps in the judging, along with editorial page editor Lucy Young-Oda.

After the Globes

Getty Images
My choice for best dressed, Anne Hathaway in Armani Privé. Total movie-star dazzle.

The day after the Golden Globes, here's another 2 cents on the way they wore.

Of course the women tried their best, as usual, to wow the paparazzi and the viewers at home. But the men really stepped up their game this year. They seem to be getting the message that they need to match the women in the appearances game. Even the normally unkempt Johnny Depp put on a suit and looked quite dapper. The hair was still disheveled but women love him for just that sort of rapscallion contrariness and swagger, right?

As for the women, I usually complain about how boring a gown can be. Across the Internet, there were raves about Angelina Jolie's green gown, but from a distance, it looked like some forlorn, matronly dress you'd find at the end of the line at Ross's. There were a lot of actresses, like Michelle Wiliams, who tried stepping out of the box, without much success. I appreciate the attempt, though. It does make the red-carpet watch more interesting.

A more polished Johnny Depp.

Christian Bale went with a classic black-on-black look, as did Jeremy Renner.

I love, love, love the very talented Michelle Williams. This flower power dress from Valentino is a cute match for the fresh, vulnerable persona and pixie-ish beauty that comes across in films, but for red carpet, it looks more like a day dress. The color fades into the background rather than calls attention to her star power.

January Jones dress is winning points in voter polls across the Internet, including the Huffington Post. I can only imagine it's men doing the voting on this one. This is so trashy and tacky, not to mention blending into the red carpet except for one, I mean two, things. So gross. Who does she think she's selling herself to? Surely in L.A., there's dozens of hotel lobby bars for that.

Robert Downey Jr. wore Prada, but the suit didn't seem to fit him properly. He also appeared on stage with his jacket pulling, and sleeves disheveled. It looked as if he'd just come back from the restroom without checking himself in the mirror.

A lot of viewers seem to have disliked Natalie Portman's Viktor & Rolf gown, the rose, especially, but I thought it was symbolic of the sweet blush of her pending motherhood.

This Marchesa dress looked amazing when Olivia Wilde was on stage. I loved the cut and sharp angles of the skirt as it falls.

There's rarely a shortage of candidates for worst dressed, but Helena Bonham Carter in Vivienne Westwood is certainly one of them. I got the mismatching shoe statement out of my system when I was 14.

The Golden Globes isn't "Little Shop of Horrors," but Jennifer Love Hewitt looks as if she's being swallowed up by the carnivorous plant Audrey.

Made in Hawaii a novel idea for Waikiki

Nadine Kam photos
From left, Aloha 'Aina owners Seyon Chan, Kristy Carrina Curnow and Gina Fukeda.


For a long time, "buy Hawaii" was something nice to say, but like "buy American," was a philosophy few stylish people turned into action.

This may be the year Hawaii becomes cool again. With TV series "Hawaii Five-0" and "Off the Map" filming here, films made last year-including the George Clooney vehicle "The Descendants" set to premiere this year, certainly all eyes will be cast our way, and Hawaii designers are ready.

Where made-in-Hawaii has long been cast as a collection of loud, brassy kitsch and craft-yness, in the last couple years, without really trying, young artists have made it cool simply by doing their own thing, without regard to trend or mainstream retail climate.

Last fall, Island Edge opened at Ala Moana Center with the aim of promoting not only established brands, but indie designers. They succeeded in almost filling the store with homegrown product.

On Jan. 14, Aloha Aina boutique opened at Royal Hawaiian Center with the same philosophy of promoting local, filling its racks, shelves and showcases with clothing, accessories and jewelry by several local companies. Among them: Marylea Conrad, Sierra Dew, Indah, machinemachine, Meleana, Mi Cielo, Noelani Designs, Roberta Oaks, Wings Hawaii, and many more.

Hopefully, visitors will be able to distinguish and take home more of what is made in Hawaii, than what is made in China, Taiwan or the Philippines.

Look for the boutique on the second floor of Building C, across from Guess.

The women of Maui's Wings Hawaii are alumni of the University of Hawaii's APDM program. From left, Samantha Howard shows a handmade leather clutch, Becky Dosh with their house fashion magazine "Inspire," and Melody Torres with one of their screen-printed briefs.

Anuhea performed.

Clutches in eye-popping color!

Jewelry trays and other decorative home items are the latest offerings from the ever versatile Marylea Conrad. Below, she's on the far right with, from left, Wayne Kato, Yaling, Shannon Hiramoto of machinemachine and Cheyne Gallarde of Firebird Photography.

Mi Cielo's Kayo Master was there with her son Tristan in the Mr. T shirt she created for him. Her husband wears her Chewbacca shirt, and Kayo was wearing her adult version of her Princess Leia tee, also shown below in its original kiddie size. She was forced to create the adult shirts because she received so many requests when they saw her children's designs.

Keith and Julie Aragaki.

Among the guests were Bruce and Yaling Fisher.