Bikini time at Lujuria

Nadine Kam photos
From left, Jessica Andrian of San Lorenzo, Chris Akin, Laura Grace D'Angeli, Michelle Van Veenendaal of LBDB and Lujuria—The Fashion Experience producer Jose Santamaria posed for photos after the "Wet the Bikini" pool party edition fashion show July 15 at The Modern.

Sunday was hot, hot, hot, the perfect weather for Jose Santamaria's "Wet the Bikini" pool party edition of Lujuria—The Fashion Experience, at the Modern, complete with a bikini and resort fashion show, heavy on the bikini part.

In one of the biggest shows of its kind, event host and producer Jose Santamaria, of JS Enterprises, sent more than 100 looks down the runway, including swimwear, coverups and casual wear from LBDB at Kahala Mall, and San Lorenzo Bikinis, and hats from Straw Garden.

Sitting with photographer Rae Huo while taking pictures of the runway, she asked me, "Would you wear one of those? Did you ever have a body like that?"

"Yeah, maybe when I was 16 through 22. It was all downhill from there."

Or, I used to say that when I was 22; the real downhill, I learned, was after 33.

At any rate, I'm more in the market for coverups, not bikinis!


Non-flash video link

Artist Colin Andrew Wood, who was working on this board on the spot, took time out to pose with models, from left, Katherine Laethem, Crystal Douglas and Kaitlin "Goose" Hamilton.

Laura Grace D'Angeli walks the show.

This was one of the biggest pool and resort shows I've seen here, with 100 looks shown.

Catherine Martin showed up appropriately dressed in a colorful duckie inner tube.

Photographer Marc Orbito had his turn in front of the lens, with Lauren Victoria, center, and Kayla Nowack.

Only artists would be fully clothed in black at a pool party! Photographer/visual artist duo Zakka and Rae Huo.

 Among those watching were Stephen Matadobra and Leigh Kroeger.

Echo Gu with drink, cell phone and the perfect cover-up.

Kelly Joseph with Chris Akin, founder of the BASE Project, creating bracelets like the ones he's wearing, from re-purposed PVC pipes from Namibia, Africa. Also, see previous Hifi post for a closer look.

Jose with Jaime Perez of Straw Garden, who provided the Panama hats, handmade in Ecuador, for the show. His shop is at 159 Kaiulani, Suite 110, in Waikiki.