Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Dueling designers at Target, H&M

H&M video
Marni's Consuelo Castiglioni styles models in her creations for H&M.

One more reason for Christmas to be over and done with: Come 2012, spring will be full of lightness and color, and budget consumers—just about everyone these days—can look forward to creations by fashion darlings Jason Wu, for Target, and Marni, for H&M.

The Jason Wu for Target collection is an exclusive, standalone, limited-edition designer collection that is not part of Target’s GO International or Designer Collaborations programs.

Wu's collection, due Feb. 5, 2012, will reflect his "aesthetic of feminine sophistication, with a mischievous nod to the 1960s,” the designer said in a press release.

Pieces will range from $19.99 to $59.99 for apparel, and $19.99 to $49.99 for handbags and scarves. Images are due in January.

H&M photo
Marni founder and creative director Consuelo Castiglioni with Margareta van den Bosch, H&M creative advisor.

Not to be outdone, H&M will be offering a spring designer collaboration with the Italian brand Marni, which some would consider on par with Prada for its original, inventive and intellectual approach to fashion.

Marni's founder and creative director, Consuelo Castiglioni, has created a spring collection for H&M for women and men that captures the spirit of Marni, full of lively African-inspired print.

"As always, I love juxtaposing prints and colors, mixing modern tribal with Bauhaus graphic and adding sporty utilitarian elements,” Castiglioni said in a press release.

The silhouettes are all Marni staples, with full pleated skirts, dresses, cropped pants and jacquard knits, in fabrics that range from silk to crisp cotton poplin. To complete the look, the collection also includes jewelry, shoes, bags and scarves.

I'm particularly interested in the chunky jewelry I'm seeing in the Marni video. I love the drama and arty quality of Marni jewelry. Just wondering about the quality and materials used in the H&M collection, vs. pure Marni.

The collection will be available from March 8, 2012.

Consuelo with more of her prints for H&M.

One of Marni's men's styles for H&M.

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Beauty Spot: Cindy Joseph helps women find their glow

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Heather Weston photo courtesy Cindy Joseph
Cindy Joseph doesn't believe in hiding one's age and letting the fashion industry dictate how one should look or feel about oneself.

By Nadine Kam

In the world of cosmetics, youth sells. Every day, new products appear purporting to address every baby-boomer desire. Creams and serums promise anti-aging, tightening, lifting and spot-fading formulations.

The message is clear: You are not OK unless you retain the complexion, or perfection, of a 20-year-old.

Rising above the harangue is Cindy Joseph, one of the few women who will tell you it's perfectly fine to look your age and has no qualms about sharing her age at 60.

"There's not a woman who doesn't want to look younger than she is because we're told that as we age, our value goes down. The graph of life we're given is a triangle," she said, indicating a peak in the middle and a long slope down, which she deems "archaic." The real graph should be a "V," she said, where life starts at a point and expands, growing richer and fuller.

She should know. Joseph enjoyed a long career as a makeup artist before, at age 49, becoming a model herself. She was approached on the street by a casting agent to pose for Dolce & Gabbana, photographed by Steven Meisel.

If anyone had invited Joseph to model 30 to 35 years ago, she would have laughed her head off. She's a natural beauty, for sure, but as a high-fashion makeup artist at the time, she knew she didn't quite measure up to her clientele, the generation of supermodels that included Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford.

But at 49, she had a different kind of beauty, complete with character lines and a silvery mane that she refuses to color for any job. Her face has appeared in beauty campaigns for Olay, Elizabeth Arden and Aveda, and she's graced magazine covers ranging from Real Simple to Glamour.

Cindy Joseph developed a set of three multi-use products aimed at enhancing a woman's natural beauty and glow.

During her makeup artist career, she was a proponent of the natural look and recently added CEO to her list of accomplishments, having developed a simple line of cosmetics designed not to mask, hide or correct but simply to enhance a woman's natural beauty.

BOOM! By Cindy Joseph is a set of three multi-use products that should be able to replace a drawerful of cosmetics. In Joseph's eyes, these are all any woman needs to head out the door looking naturally beautiful. There's BOOMSTICK COLOR for rosiness, BOOMSTICK GLIMMER to highlight with a pearly sheen, and BOOMSTICK GLO to add moisture wherever it's needed.

"They don't hide anything, they're not concealers. They just make you look alive," she said during a recent Honolulu visit that included checking in with Honey Girl Organics, which supplies the emollient organic bee propolis for BOOMSTICK GLO and her new BOOMSILK body moisturizer, which launched on Black Friday. She said she wasn't planning to add to her line, preferring to help women simplify their lives, but fans keep requesting more products.

Any one of her BOOMSTICKs ($24 each or $68 for the set) can be applied to the lips, eyes, cheekbones or decolleté for a paraben- and phthalate-free dose of color and moisture.

"It's very forgiving," she said.


BOOMSILK moisturizer protects, heals and nurtures the entire face and body. It's handmade by beekeepers in Hawaii, formulated with beneficial organic ingredients: organic extra virgin olive oil, organic beeswax, organic propolis, organic pollen, organic honey and Vitamin E.

In coming up with her line, Joseph said she observed the women she worked on over the years, from top models to actresses such as Uma Thurman and Susan Sarandon. "I'd study their faces and tried to figure out just what made them extra beautiful when they were in a particularly good mood. That's when they glowed."

Her products mark her attempt to package that glow so that by wearing her products, no one will suspect cosmetic enhancement, only that one is flushed from a light workout or good laugh.

"All facial structure is good as it is and maybe you just want to enhance or accentuate what you have," she said. "It's sad that people resort to Botox or surgery to look younger, at younger ages. If we stop concerning ourselves with age, maybe our country can start behaving like other countries that value the contributions and wisdom of their elders."
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BOOM! by Cindy Joseph line is available at www.BoombyCindyJoseph.com.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

75 years strong: Considering the aloha shirt

Nadine Kam photos
Aloha shirt judges Sig Zane, left, and Amos Kotomori, listen to a discussion of the merits of various designs in an aloha shirt contest that took place Nov. 19 at the Kahala Hotel & Resort.

There's been much discussion within the pages of our paper recently, regarding President Obama and APEC officials passing on the opportunity to don an aloha shirt for an official photo.

Perhaps, I reasoned, by wearing their dark suits, this was Obama's way of showing that Hawaii is not just a playground but a serious place to do business. Yet, a few days later, he donned a traditional Balinese shirt for an ASEAN banquet in Indonesia.

Which makes a Nov. 19 aloha shirt contest sponsored by Hawaiian Air, Pomare, and Hana Hou, quite timely. Judging of the contest took place the same day that Obama donned the Indonesian shirt, and as one of five judges, we discussed the way the popularity of the aloha shirt is waning with a younger generation weaned on T-shirts.

The contest was created to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the aloha shirt, to get people to think about their personal connection to the aloha shirt, consider its history and its future. As more of a philosophical and theoretical exercise, the winning shirt won't actually be produced.

What came across in the more than 100 entries in the inaugural contest, is that there tends to be more aloha for the shirt abroad than at home, where we tend to take the shirt for granted as part of the landscape.

In entry after entry, which came in from Thailand to Dubai, it was amazing to see how the designs reflected such vivid, picturesque and personal reflections of the entrants' love for Hawaii and experiences here—everything from getting drunk and cherishing the elements of a mai tai, to fearing for the fragile ecosystem and the plight of native birds. Then there was the hyper-personal, with one entrant submitting a repeat pattern of an image of his/her born-in-Hawaii cat, Rusty.

Entries came, not only from graphic and textile artists and illustrators, but from attorneys, beekeepers, teachers, physicians and an unemployed contractor.

It was a tough contest to judge, not only because of the varied entries, but because of the varied backgrounds of the judges. I found myself judging alongside longtime designers and aloha shirt creators Amos Kotomori, Dale Hope, Sig Zane and Carol Yotsuda, executive director of the Garden Island Arts Council, who is also a Living Treasure of Hawaii. The latter two flew in from the Big Island and Kauai, respectively, to participate in the contest.

It was a lengthy process as we whittled the shirts down from 100 to 34, with each judge selecting their top 10. At that point, judging coordinator Chris Pearce and facilitator Jan Nagano hoped that the field would be narrowed to 20, but there was so little overlap among judges that most designs received only one vote, and only one shirt got 4 out of 5 votes.

The front view of the winning design by Vaopele Tiatia.

Are you ready for Black Friday?

Nadine Kam photos
Michelle Fujii, left, and Eden in Love owner Tanna Dang wear and show a couple of the boutique’s bestsellers during a preview of their Black Friday sale.

Black Friday is creeping into Thursday as more and more stores are going the blockbuster movie route in starting the Christmas run at midnight, which set off a round of grumbling among early morning Black Friday shoppers in our office because everybody knows that in years past, doors opening at 5 a.m. or 6 a.m. the day after Thanksgiving didn’t mean getting there at 5 or 6 a.m. It meant camping out from midnight or earlier. So will that mean people will actually cut their dinner time short to line up long begore midnight? I guess we’ll find out overnight.

As much as I don’t like the retail intrusion on Thanksgiving Day, it doesn’t affect me because I don’t like to shop in crowds. Maybe some people are super-organized and can keep their wits under duress, but I’m not one of them.

Meanwhile, Eden in Love, at Ward Warehouse, gave 50 of its VIP customers a jumpstart on Black Friday, hosting a preview of its Black Friday sale. (Don’t worry, 50 women didn’t make a dent in the number of items available, which includes clothing, scarves, hats, handbags, jewelry, etc.)

Eden in Love photo
I bought this Eden in Love lace mesh dress in green.

Black Friday is so good for the boutique, that instead of taking up one of the second-floor conference rooms at the center, this year they’ve taken two to contend with the crush of shoppers, with one room for the registers, and a Disney-like line setup so there’s no confusion as to who’s first in line.

As in past years, tomorrow’s early birds will get the biggest discount. From 9 to 10 a.m., customers will receive a 40 percent discount. With dresses prieed at about $48, for instance, I picked up four dresses for a little more than $100.

The discount will decrease every hour, with shoppers receiving 30 percent off everything from 10 to 11 a.m., 25 percent off from 11 a.m. to noon and 20 percent off until 9 p.m. Early birds also can enjoy a free breakfast bar, and there will be a “comfy zone” for guys who prefer to sit it out.

A smaller room is devoted to jewelry and hats, below, as well as sticky bras.


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OFFERINGS ELSEWHERE

Allison Izu
The local denim designer is offering an online sale at shopallisonizu.com from Black Friday through Cyber Monday. Take 30 percent off your $100 purchase with the code “BLACK30.” Spend $250 and get a 40 percent discount with the code “BLACK40,” or get 50 percent off your purchase of $350 ore more with the code “BLACK 50.”

Aveda
In what may be the best offering of the day, Aveda Experience Center will be providing shoppeers with respite from the day’s madness by offering your choice of complimentary stress relieving ritual that include a scalp and shoulder ritual, neck and shoulder ritual, hand ritual, makeup finishing touch or hairstyling ritual. Also, enjoy a complimentary cup of Aveda Comforting Tea, a 100 percent certified organic herbal infusion of licorice root and peppermint to ease mind and body, with free refills! The services will be offered from Black Friday through Sunday.
Of course, you can browse their wares as well, including eight limited-edition gift sets.

Mu’umu’u Heaven
For its eco purposes, the boutique has redubbed Black Friday, “Green Friday,” and are marking the occasion by offering up to 70 percent of merchandise from 10 a.m., as well as presenting a 4 to 7 p.m. trunk show by Big Island designer Jenn Eng of Aloha Friday sunglasses, with live music, pupu and refreshments. The boutique is at 767 Kailua Road.

Roberta Oaks
The designer has 30 free dresses to offer to the first shoppers who make a $50 purchase. She’s offering a 40 percent off storewide sale from 8 to 9 a.m., 30 percent off from 9 a.m. to noon, and 20 percent off all RO men’s and women’s apparel from noon to 6 p.m. The showroom is at 19 N. Pauahi St.


Victoria’s Secret
Offering a free tote with $65 purchase, while totes last. Inside the tote are VS Fantasies “Sheer Love” Hydrating Body Lotion (4.2 oz.), Victoria’s Secret “Bombshell” Body Mist (2.5 oz), VS PRO Airbrush FX Face Primer SPF 20 (.14 oz.) and Victoria’s Secret “Angel” Eau de Parfum (.05 oz.). One per person, and gift card purchases do not count. If you don’t want to deal with the crowds, you can also purchase online. Enter offer code “FRIDAY” at checkout.

Keeping up with Diane von Furstenberg

Nadine Kam photos
Diane von Furstenberg, second from right, in a Hatsu steel-and-neon-colored dress from her Resort 2012 collection, found plenty of fans awaiting at her DVF boutique at Ala Moana Center. The fashion icon was in town for a grand opening celebration that took place Nov. 22. Also pictured, from right, are Eleanor Kawananakoa, Brynn Foster, Candes Gentry, Kristen Chan and Anne Marie Jones.

Diane Von Furstenberg may have lost the right to the title of princess after divorcing her German-Italian Prince Egon Von Furstenberg decades ago, but she’s still fashion royalty and was greeted as such at a grand opening celebration at her newest DVF boutique, in the Ala Moana Center, Nov. 22.

There were 500 RSVPs for an audience with the designer who made history in the early 1970s, when she designed a little jersey wrap dress that sold in the millions and landed her on the cover of Newsweek magazine in 1976.

It was more than a dress. As noted in my story in the newspaper today, it was a symbol of women’s empowerment and women’s new presence in the workforce in the era of NOW and feminism. B.D. (before Diane), women were being told that to succeed in the workforce they had to become more like men, and dressing for success meant donning thugly pantsuits and blazers paired with little bowtie blouses, to look more like a man.

Then came Diane with her message and shining example of a woman who was succeeding in business while still retaining her femininity. It was an eye-opener at the time, and today, just look at how many soul sisters she has in Hawaii alone, who have started their own successful businesses or are managing business for others.

in my Monday interview with the designer, she said she always enjoyed being a woman and has a feline quality about her, although she’s more lioness than kitten. At 64, she has the kind of strength and energy that others must keep up with. In fact, as soon as I arrived at the party Tuesday night, a photographer pulled me aside and said, of photographing Diane, “You better move fast because she doesn’t stand still for more than a minute.”

“Hawaii Five-O’s” Grace Park had a long chat with the designer.

Grace with DVF Honolulu boutique manager Marilee Mattson. Coincidentally, Marilee also worked for another enduring fashion icon, Betsey Johnson, and was responsible for bringing Betsey to town twice. Hopefully, we’ll see Diane here many times as well.

Diane von Furstenberg’s VP of Global Communications Grace Cha, second from right, also welcomed Fendi’s Cammy Maheras, “Hawaii Five-0’s” Brian Yang, and film producer Chris Lee.

In light of her energy, which one other person in the store had characterized as abrupt, I found her to be very gracious and un-divalike, especially in having given me a second chance at an interview. I had been trying to get an advance phone interview with her but because she was on an international tour scheduling was difficult. A live date was set, which was later rescheduled. I thought only the time had changed, but the day had changed as well. So, at my desk Monday, I got that dreaded call saying, “Diane’s here, are you still coming?”

It worked out better than planned. Instead of meeting at the store as scheduled, we ended up meeting a half hour later in her suite at the Halekulani, with its picture window view of Diamond Head, where she could relax and curl up on the couch and I had more time than I probably would have had earlier.

I’d had a brush with the designer during New York Fashion Week in September 2008, when she hosted a party at the Cuban restaurant Socialista to celebrate the launch of Nina Garcia’s “Little Black Book of Style.” Out of all the famous, glamorous personages in the room that night, Diane outshone them all so that when she arrived, you could feel the energy in the packed room change, like Moses parting the sea as people gave her room to move, while still pressing in to gawk.


LeSportsac’s Cindy Eastman, left, showed up in one of the iconic wrap dresses from DVF’s Vintage Collection, made with a reissued 1970s print, while Condesa-Azira Nora Meijide-Gentry showed up in one of DVF’s Fall 2012 creations.

Diane gamely posed for photos with all who wanted their brush with fame documented.

It is no small feat to remain relevant in the fashion business nearly 40 years, when attention spans are short, customers are fickle, and a single bad season can make or break you. What was funny was that during our interview, she turned some of those kinds of questions back on me, asking, “What do you think?” when I asked about what women wanted from their clothing then vs. now, and how she attributes her enduring success.

That makes sense. She’s a person who is interested in ideas and didn’t seem particularly interested in looking back and speculating about her success. She’s realistic enough to assume a degree of luck and serendipitous timing. She puts on no airs and has no illusions about herself, saying at one point, “Of course, I can’t wear my own dresses these days.”

I was like, “That’s crazy, of course you can!”

And she goes, “It’s OK.”

She’s also a forward-looking, big-picture person who has long set her sights on Asia and China, and mentioned that, as a gateway to Asia, she’s wanted to be in Hawaii for “quite a while.”

As president of the Council of fashion designers of America, she’s well aware of New York’s position on the global circuit and trying to get its members to consider their response to the growing number of FashionWeek destinations in Asia that will one day vie for major editors’ and buyers’ attention.

With so much on her mind, it’s no wonder she can’t keep still.

After the party she headed to the airport for a flight to Kauai, where she’s spending a quiet Thanksgiving with family, and finally taking time to sleep between swims and hikes.

Moreso than at most events of this kind, the registers were ringing all night. No doubt having DVF in the house helped as she signed many a book and item sold that night, as this book below.



Fun with fur: Stylist Geremy Campos, with Josh Dulatre, shows the movement in one of DVF’s furs.


Marilee and staffers Malina Yanai, left, and Lena Baptiste, right, wear the New Jeanne wrap dress from DVF’s Resort 2012 Vintage Collection. They’re with Lindsay Carmer, director of U.S. Retail for DVF.

Friday, November 11, 2011

About Riches and a glittery tiara moment

Nadine Kam photos
From left, Riches Kahala owner Lo Kaimuloa and her family. From right, husband Clyde, granddaughter Noe, son Kamakana, daughter-in-law Emi, and grandson Kaiko.

Lo Kaimuloa marked the 25th anniversary of her Kahala Mall kiosk, Riches Kahala, on Nov. 26, with an intimate gathering of supporters and fans, who were able to shop some of the most popular local jewelry designers carried by the kiosk. Among them were Beachcomber Designs, Hands in the Sand, Jennie B Jewelry, Kimberly Le, Michie, and Ani Young, and fabric clutches by Jana Lam.

The kiosk boutique has been so successful over the years, I asked Lo why she never expanded into a bigger space.

Although she said she's been invited by the center to move into larger quarters, she said, "Never wanted to," adding that she loves the individualized service and intimacy the small space affords. She has close relationships with her customers, and indeed, when I asked some women whether they were customers or friends of Lo's, they answered, "Both." One woman described Lo as a soul mate, and I can see that.

Although I don't know her well, she's just so friendly, big-hearted, and generous of spirit, that even I, a very private person, just found myself opening up to her. I don't know why, but once I told her about a wacky dream I had, that pre-blog era, would have been kept to myself.

I remembered that incident the night of the party. I couldn't remember the dream, but I only know it ended with a tiara.

Coincidentally, that day, I had been cleaning out my dresser drawers and found an old journal I had. For whatever reason, I threw it on my bed and left it there all day. When I got home from the party and was ready to go to bed, I picked it up and started leafing through the pages, and there, on Jan. 16, 1998, was the dream!

A photo from Marilyn Manson's (short-lived) wedding to Dita Von Teese in 2006.

Even more now, I don't know why I told her this, but I dreamed I was going to a prom, and my date was gothy shock rocker Marilyn Manson. I was upset that, not only was he was prettier than me, to add insult to injury he was wearing a tiara, and I complained, "But I wanted to wear the tiara!"

Anyway, she got a huge laugh out of this, and a few days later, I received in the mail, a tiara from Lo! That's just the sort of thing she carries and the kind of things she does to make women feel beautiful and good about themselves.

I still have the tiara and still feel happy when I think about it, even though, to this day I'm still never gonna be the kind of woman who can outdress Marilyn Manson!

Happy anniversary, Lo!

At right, Lydia Ho of Hands in the Sand, and Dana Miller.

Hammered silver and 14K gold-filled bracelets with Tahitian black pearls and South Sea pearl by Lydia Ho of Hands in the Sand.

Jana Lam with some of her clutches.

Riches Kahala manager Kelli Coffin with jewelry designer Ani Young, who just returned from India with some fabulous gemstones.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Therapy marks two years at Kahala Mall

Nadine Kam photos
From right, Therapy boutique owner Tina Wary, Julie Waters and Umee Honolulu's Deena White Tearney, who was one of five featured designers at the first of Therapy boutique's second anniversary events Nov. 5 at Kahala Mall. The week two celebration takes place 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, with six designers and a performance by Chase Dean.

Two years deserves two weeks of celebrations, and Therapy boutique owner Tina Wary will be hosting Week Two from 5 to 8 p.m. Nov. 12, showcasing designs by local brands and designers Angry Lady Bug, Organik, La'akea Designs, Roberta Oaks, HI State of Mind, and Val Loh Designs.

The first celebration took place Nov. 5 at the Kahala Mall boutique, when Tina welcomed Moopiland's Keiko Knudson, ccdoodle's Christy Chung, Gem Parfait's Allison Fujita, Ecolicious' Dexter Doi and Carol D'Angelo, and Umee Honolulu's Deena White Tearney. Bangles by Erin were also featured, though the designer couldn't be there. There were pre-holiday discounts on merchandise offered by the featured designers.

Those who attended were also treated to a fabulous food spread created by Tina's husband Ed, he of Auntie Pasto's and Dixie Grill fame. There was enough of a spread to have made it onto my food blog, but I thought I'd keep it all here. Wonder if he'll top himself at this coming Saturday's event?

Moopiland designer Keiko Knudson shows one of her latest dresses, made with Hawaiian-style print fabric from Japan.

ccdoodle's Christy Chung showed her fabric clutches as well as her fabric sashes.


Creations by Gem Parfait's Allison Fujita, below, attorney by day and jewelry designer by night.

Ecolicious' Dexter Doi and Carol D'Angelo showed their latest tees and tanks.


Salty Girl Jewelry's Amber Chesebro with her mom Wendy Olsen, who inspired her daughter's jewelry making by teaching her how to create macrame as a child, and who always kept beads and findings around the house for her own projects.


The food spreads are generally light at fashion parties, where everyone's trying to be thin, but hey, when you're a boutique owner married to a restaurateur, as in Auntie Pasto's and Dixie Grill's Ed Wary, you've got a built-in caterer who wants to make an impression. More food follows! ...

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Mojo for men

Cassy Song photos courtesy Mojo Barbershop
Guests at Mojo Barbershop's grand opening enjoyed mustachioed donut from Regal Bakery.

It was all about the mustache, or lack thereof, at the grand opening of Mojo Barbershop on First Friday, Nov. 4. I couldn't make it that night, but the barbershop shared photos by Cassy Song, which tell the story of the evening, which seems to have brought both men and women out in droves. More photos can be viewed on their Facebook album.

I had interviewed Marian a week prior to the event and after my story appeared in the paper last Thursday, she said their phone began ringing nonstop.

"They have been all men!" she said. "It's been fascinating to see how thrilled they are after the straight razor shave! Most of the men that come in have never had one in their life but say they've always wanted to try it!"

A couple of calls did come in from women who wanted to purchase gift cards for their husbands, she said.

I knew the old-fashioned barbershop would be popular as part of the old-is-new movement that's not limited to fashion, but all of what it means to be civilized. As society and business as evolved proves to be untenable and unsustainable, I think everyone is looking back to when businesses were smaller and more intimate and you knew the principals by name, vs. an interchangeable corporate suit. To reinforce the idea of community and relationships, they're known on Facebook as Mojo Barbershop (& Social Club).

Mojo Barbershop owners Marian Lee and Matt Leo, with artist Kamea Hadar between them. Kamea created the artwork behind them.

And yes, I'm sure men will welcome pampering as much as women. They'll now have access to the luxurious ritual of sitting back, being treated to a warm towel and straight-razor shave and/or haircut, hand-and-foot detailing or detox facials.

Women are welcome too, but just as men may have been uncomfortable sitting in a salon full of women in the past, be forewarned that this is a space designed with the male species in mind. There is a trunk full of vintage surf and Playboy magazines as reading material, and a man cave where customers can plop into a La-Z-Boy in front of a flat-screen TV. A liquor license may soon materialize.

If you want to delve into this world, Mojo Barbershop is at 1157 Bethel St., open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays. Call 927-8017.

The Barbershop will be offering a 30 discount on cuts and shaves for all veterans and military service members on Nov. 10, 11 and 12 in honor of Veterans' Day.

Mojo's style team, from left, Solosolo Kahili, Jendale Kahuanui, Rodney Ballesteros and Kaliq Rashad.

I think every woman will appreciate, this sentiment, admonishing men to "Stay Handsome, Not Hamajang." What's funny is there's a generation who'd never heard the pidgin "hamajang" before and are getting a kick out of the meaning.

Nadine Kam photos
The Mojo menu. In the background is a vintage barber chair that was found on Maui.

A vintage suitcase holds vintage reading material.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Beauty Spot: More expansion at DFS Beauty World

Nadine Kam photos
Premiere Models at a celebration marking new entries to DFS Galleria's Beauty World Oct. 27.

The past month was an exhausting whirlwind, so when DFS Galleria Waikiki decided to celebrate six new or relocated entries to its expanded second-floor Beauty World cosmetic area, they send out an invitation to "a small cocktail party," and I accepted because it seemed it would be quiet and low-key, just my speed at that moment.

So then I go there and find this huge, crowded, music-filled party going on—yikes!—complete with an appearance by Japan transgender makeup artist, beauty ambassador and TV personality Ikko, who was also slated for a public appearance before her sizable Asia audience. I've often heard female makeup artists complain that women prefer to get their makeup advice from a man—generally because they're able to flirt, taunt and humor women in a way that other women can't—and I guess it holds true in Ikko's case. Her thumbs-up moves product throughout Japan and Korea, and one of the products that met her approval at DFS was Burberry's Lip Cover Soft Satin lipstick.

It was just about a year ago that they celebrated the original expansion and renovation. At the time, it seemed like it would stand for awhile, but there are so many cosmetic brands out there, that there's no reason it couldn't stop growing to fill the vast second floor!

For now, Beauty World welcomes Burberry Beauty, Jo Malone, Origins, Aveda (with a focus on haircare rather than cosmetics), Shiseido, and its own BeautyLab, where clients can experience the latest in cosmeceuticals, anti-aging skin care, and organic cosmetic brands, and complimentary light treatments.

Of course, one of the best parts of the DFS experience is the duty-free aspect that applies to kama'aina as well as visitors, meaning you're free of the general excise tax.

Burberry's Lip Cover Soft Satin Lipstick, complete with Burberry check design on the lipstick as well as it's gunmetal magnetic case, has Japan celebrity makeup artist and TV personality Ikko's approval, below.


Ikko greets guests at DFS Galleria Beauty World.

Shiseido's colors for fall.

Burberry's eye colors for fall.

Shiseido's new space also made way for a men's section, now that makeup artists said men want their own gender-specific products rather than of their girlfriends'/wives' fruity- or floral-scented creams.