Oscar Night style

Getty Images
Mila Kunis in Elie Saab Couture and Cate Blanchett in Givenchy.

If you scour the Internet long enough, you're going to find someone who agrees with your picks for best and worst gowns of Oscar Night. Here's my two cents:

I didn't see a lot I liked, but loved the way Mila Kunis looked in the lilac Elie Saab Couture above. Cate Blanchett is getting high marks in the British press for her Givenchy gown. A daring choice. I liked the shoulders but was less enamored by the puka front.

I thought Hilary Swank looked great in Gucci, and had the perfect coif to match. Too bad you can't see the side of her head in the photo below. And Hailee Steinfeld look very pretty and age-appropriate in a retro-'50s style Marchesa dress befitting the ladylike spring 2011 season.

I got the "Meow" crack when I Twittered that Scarlett Johansson looked cheap in lacy Dolce & Gabbana, but the picture doesn't lie. It looks like end-of-the-line Ross's. She did have the best accessory though, in Jeremy Renner! And for once, I liked what Gwyneth Paltrow was wearing. Her Calvin Klein gold sheath was a bold and daring choice amidst the usual sea of billowy, chiffon-y gowns.

Meanwhile, right here at home, the Hawaii International Film Festival once again hosted the local edition of the official Oscar Night America party at the Halekulani Hotel. Here's what some of the guests wore on the red carpet: Later, you can see what was on the menu as well, at Take A Bite.

Nadine Kam photos
The Watamulls' red garb echoed one of the trends on Hollywood's red carpet.

Tim Guitierrez with Catherine Lin in Marchesa.

Monica Ivey with Andy South. A lot of white was also seen on male presenters at the Oscars, including Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin in Gucci, Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law.

Mari Okamoto.

Making an entrance on the red carpet.

Andy South on the red carpet.

Peter Lenkov, left, executive producer of "Hawaii Five-0."

Angie Laprete with Monica Ivey.

Christina Simpkins with Wanda Watamull, and below with her business partner.

 

More photos can be viewed at HonoluluPulse.com.

Say it ain't so, a onesie for adults

OnePiece photo

Time to clear the couch of your ratty old Snuggie and make way for the European import, the OnePiece, a grownup's onesie. Sounds like a joking take on Yanks' penchant for slothy dressing, but no, it's not.

Lady Gaga, Jude Law, Sadie Frost, Kate Moss, Katy Perry, Russell Brand, Perez Hilton and Paramore’s Hayley Williams have all suited up in the OnePiece, and last fall, London’s Evening Standard hailed its arrival as “THE Winter Trend of 2010.”

The OnePiece started in 2007, when three drunken Norwegians (Thomas Adams, Hernia Nøstrud and Knut Gresvig) came up with the idea to sew together a hangover-recovery suit by connecting a hooded sweatshirt and a pair of sweatpants with a zipper. It takes the Juicy Couture designer sweatsuit idea just one step further, and we all know how that turned out.

The OnePiece launched globally last year with two stores in Sweden, an outlet at Harrods in London, and will soon launch a U.S. flagship store on the swanky Robertson Boulevard in Los Angeles. If you must have one now, visit www.onepiece.com. Already I can see a whole lot of hippity hopping about once Easter rolls around in April. The OnePiece make a great building block for a bunny suit.

Spring 2011 trends on NM runway

Nadine Kam video still
Stripes and long necklaces are among the trends for Spring 2011, as modeled by Daniela Abe. Click here to view the video.

Spring is in the air and to coincide with my story in the paper today, here is a video summary of the season, gleaned from Neiman Marcus's "Garden Party" informal fashion show that took place Feb. 9 at the Ala Moana store.

You may have seen Hawaii's Keke Lindgard

Photos courtesy Wilhelmina
Model Keke Lindgard, left, in a campaign for DKNY's resort collection.

The Wilhelmina model search brought Roman Young back to town, and I got a chance to talk to the Iolani graduate about how he got his start in the biz and how he worked his way up to becoming Director of Scouting for the New York office.

My story will be in Thursday, Feb. 24's, paper.

He also talks about model Keke Lindgard, who's from Kaaawa, and who has taken the fashion world by storm, landing a spot on Style.com's Top 10 Newcomers list in 2009, and going on to fulfill that destiny. She's landed major campaigns with the likes of Gucci, Ralph Lauren and D&G, as well as walked runways as diverse as Rag & Bone, Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti, Tommy Hilfiger, Christian Dior and Armani Privé.

Keke Lindgard for Gucci Eyewear.

Roman said that in spite of her success, few in Hawaii know her name because her work has been in New York and Europe. A lot of people from Hawaii do well abroad, without us necessarily knowing their names.

Keke in a Trussardi Jeans campaign.

That's not only in fashion. Some of my favorite musicians have been from Hawaii, though few here have ever heard of The Dambuilders or ... And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead because they left and never looked back.

Granted, ... And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, now based in Austin, Texas, is not for everyone, but at this point the band is my absolute favorite. I was lucky to catch their one of their shows when I was in New York in 2009, because who knows when or if Conrad Keely will ever bring his band home to play. Like I said, the band is not exactly a household name here.


Here's one of my videos from the show, but if you watch you have to stay til the end to get the full scope of the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8m9eCkmQBs Be forwarned, they have two drummers so it's gonna be loud.



Beyond music, Conrad is also a gifted artist who has been toiling in steampunk imagery long before he knew there was term for his futuristic and industrial, yet Victorian sensibility.

Here's a link to a video of him talking about his art and his notion that hoop skirts are sexier than bikinis.

Conrad Keely's comic book artwork coincides with the release of ... And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead's new release "Tao of the Dead."

Conrad Keely at the drawing table.

Jewel exhibition at Cooper-Hewitt

Van Cleef & Arpels photos
Bird brooch and detachable briolette and wings, made with yellow gold, sapphires, yellow diamonds (briolette 95 carats) and white diamonds, 1971, owned by Ganna Walska.


I always love looking at things of beauty, and if you appreciate fine craftsmanship and are going to be in New York any time soon, stop in at the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, which is presenting “Set in Style: The Jewelry of Van Cleef & Arpels.”

The exhibition opened last Friday and will continue through June 5, 2011, showcasing the craftsmanship behind the company, which opened its doors in 1906 on the Place Vendôme in Paris. The exhibition features more than 300 works, including jewels, timepieces, fashion accessories and objets d’art, many created exclusively for American clientele, along with drawings, commission books, fabrication cards and imagery from the firm’s archives.

Mystery-set rubies in Van Cleef & Arpels "Peony" brooch, with gold, platinum and diamonds.



One of the technical innovations perfected for curved surfaces by Van Cleef & Arpels is the “Mystery Setting” technique in which the setting does not show between the stones, creating a solid field of color. The stones need to be cut exactly to fit the designs and their channel settings and need to be matched to exactly the right color. One example is a 1937 “Peony” brooch with mystery-set rubies.

The museum is at 2 East 91st St. at Fifth Ave., (212) 849-8400.

Design sketches are part of the exhibition. This 1947 watercolor drawing is of a passe-partout chain necklace/belt with floral clips.

This 1970 Goddess Head brooch comprises gold, turquoise, rubies, emeralds, sapphires and diamonds.

This 1950 Indu necklace owned by the Maharani of Baroda comprises diamonds and emeralds in a platinum setting.

Sunday on set

Nadine Kam photos
Calli Wagner in an Armani Collezioni gown from Nordstrom. Click here for video.

Kyle Kagamida's been assisting me on HI Luxury shoots, so when he put together a shoot on Feb. 20, I returned the favor. Sort of. Mostly I sat around and observed him at work. He just got accepted into FIDM and is working to build up his stylist's portfolio before he leaves.

Strangely enough, he's also a gifted culinary student at Kapiolani Community College and will earn his degree this summer, but after enrolling in the program, decided restaurant work isn't for him. It's hot and messy, though he says that in the kitchen, he's the only one who manages to keep his whites clean. Since starting to do styling work, he's discovered it's also hot and messy and grueling, but in this case, he said, "I'm crawling on the floor, tying on girls shoes, I don't care. I love it."

A lot of girls have asked to assist me over the past few years, but I usually take one look at their long nails and high heels and decide they're just gonna be set decoration without lightening my load, but with Kyle I felt an instant trust. He has a great instinct so I never have to tell him what to do next.

So then I'm sitting around on his set and he goes, "Nadine, look how long your nails are. How can you even pull up a zipper?" Touché!

Sunday's shoot had a retro glamour theme, reflecting Kyle's passion for red carpet style. I just know he's moving to L.A. to be closer to Rachel Zoe, who's always seems to be looking for new assistants to replace those who eventually strike out on their own.

 

Model Calli Wagner in Jessica Hoffman's makeup chair, with Brandise Brookington working on her hair, Marc Edwards shooting video and stylist Kyle Kagamida overseeing all.

The shooter was Daniela Voicescu, a model-turned-photographer who's also building her portfolio. And videotaping the proceedings was Marc Edwards, who with his brother Michael Anthony, is working on a video series, "Artist You," celebrating Hawaii's creatives in all genres, including music, dance, visual arts and fashion. A few segments can be seen with an Artist You search on Facebook, but they're aiming to be on television by year's end.

 

The shooter is model-turned-photographer Daniela Voicescu. Click here for a brief video interview on how she got started.

 

Kyle shows a fun and flirty Oscar de la Renta crochet dress from Nordstrom. The dress would be worn later that day by Jusine Godfrey, who spent the morning modeling at Neiman Marcus.

Photos from Daniela's  model's portfolio. Over 10 years, she worked all across Europe and Asia, including Beijing, below.

 

 Calli in Lanvin from Nordstrom, with vintage Chanel purse from Pzazz.

Calli in a video still, wearing Gaultier Soleil.

 

Calli in a video still wearing a vintage dress from Pzazz.

The shoes were a mix from Nordstrom and Kyle's collection.

Makeup artist Jessica Hoffman found time for fun in front of the camera, with a Forever21 floral accessory that doubles as a hat.

 

Kyle had given me a general warehouse address without the specific unit number, and having forgotten my phone, I had to walk around the complex to find the right place. I spotted the clothes hangers through this door and knew I had found it.

Window shopping

Nadine Kam photos
Love the new window display at Hermes, Ala Moana Center.

How many times have you walked past a store window and stopped in your tracks, compelled to walk in because of something you saw there?

The cost of advertising is high, but in windows, boutiques have a built-in venue, so I've often wondered why retailers don't make better use of their windows. It's an artform that should be treated as such.

What triggered these thoughts was the current window display at Hermes, Ala Moana Center, which beautifully pays homage to the house's carriage, saddlery, leather and scarf traditions. Love it!

 

Boutiques going, gone

Nadine Kam photos
Sadly, the DKNY boutique at Ala Moana Center will be closing its doors next weekend.

I swear, sometimes you're walking through the mall and in place of a store you like, there's another one standing in its place. At Ala Moana Center, BCBG is gone. The papered windows show Animation Addict is set to move in.

Also, employees at DKNY got the word last week that next Saturday, the 26th, will be its last day. As of Friday, they were offering merchandise at 15 percent off. I don't know if a bigger discount will be offered in subsequent days, but if you love the brand and Donna Karan's snuggly wraps, now would be a good time to stock up.

More changes are coming to the mall. As much as the Internet has been hard on creative enterprises from music to books to media, it's also taken its toll on retail now that it's so easy to shop by price online. That's why I shop the old-fashioned way, going to the store, trying on, etc., though I do notice that sale prices can be much lower online.

Still, how much of a bargain is saving $20 or so, when friends and family become unemployed in the wake of thousands of such transactions every day? It's a vicious cycle as consumers, strapped for cash, must spend to keep the economy afloat, yet spend elsewhere to save pennies, ultimately not helping the state's bottom line at all. It's a rough new world.

Hawaii's Lynne O'Neill featured in new vids

Party Builders
Click here to see the general video of the staging of a lingerie fashion show.

If you ever want to see what goes on behind the scenes at major fashion shows, the person to know is sometime local girl Lynne O'Neill, who's a fixture at New York Fashion Week. If I'm not around, ha!, she's usually the littlest person in the room, but she's also the toughest and most together, calling the shows and making sure everything goes on smoothly so the designers don't have to worry (as much).

She's featured on a new original YouTube show called "Party Builders" (formerly known as "Velvet Rope"), which officially went live yesterday. The first two episodes are about a SevenBar Benefit and lingerie fashion show that was held at Cipriani's restaurant last October. The video shows the thought, preparation and what it takes to put together the kind of shows that generate buzz.

You can read more about Lynne in a story I wrote last year, though the pictures have disappeared from our archive site: http://bit.ly/ez1zvo
 
She was back in town over the holidays and is due to return in March for some fashion-related biz. Stay tuned ...

In the meantime, New Party Builder videos will go live every Wednesday. I like the intimacy they bring to happenings that on the ground can be quite overwhelming.

Click here to see Party Builder's great video interview with Hula, Inc., event and fashion show producer Lynne O'Neill.

Fall's color story

Style Salad
Isaac Mizrahi send down dyed dogs as accessories during his Fall-Winter 2011 New York Fashion Week show.

I was amused by photos from Isaac Mizrahi's Fall-Winter 2011 New York Fashion Week runway. Some of his brightly colored ensembles were accessorized with matchy-matchy pooches!

I felt a sense of deja vu when I saw a yellow coat paired with a yellow dog. Last October I was walking down the street in Kakaako and came across a little dog parked there waiting for its owner. It was so cute with its yellow ears and tail, dyed for Halloween, I found out later, that I snapped its picture and attempted to sketch it on my iPhone, using the SketchbookX app.

Just goes to show you, inspiration can come from anywhere!

One more from Isaac Mizrahi's Fall-Winter 2011 runway.

Speaking of color, it looks like it'll be a beautiful fall. Pantone released it's annual color report, timed to coincide with New York Fashion Week, and based on what designers have shown on the runways through today. And if you're on a budget and shopping for spring in the weeks ahead, it's helpful to know which colors/pieces will best make the transition to fall. Here are the colors:

Continuing a trend from Spring 2011, designers are combining bright colors with elegant neutrals to create an intriguing balance, with influences from the art world's old masters, old Hollywood, Chinese opera and countryside.

Bamboo: A surprising warm hue for fall, like a sunset on waning days, yellow with a subtle green undertone. This shade pairs dramatically with several of fall's top 10 colors.

Emberglow: The traditional autumn hue has the warmth of a glowing fire. It can be paired with Coffee Liqueur for a classic look, or with Honeysuckle for a vibrant retro look.

Honeysuckle: Continuing from spring, this reddish pink works with any other color in the palette.

Phlox: This deep purple adds drama, with a hint of mystery to outfits. Combine it with Cedar, Deep Teal or Coffee Liqueur for an extraordinary look.

Cedar: This versatile, mid-tone neutral green is a natural with Deep Teal.

Deep Teal: A strong, blue-toned green, suggests ocean depths and the color of the sky as daylight descends into darkness. It's a unique counterpoint to Honeysuckle.

Stability comes in the form of such neutrals as rich Coffee Liqueur as an alternative to basic black; warm camel tan Nougat, the unique blue-gray of Orchid Hush; and reliable Quarry, a practical medium green-gray.