Contact lens hazzards the real scare of Halloween

Costume contact lenses look like fun to wear and can be the finishing touch for any costume, but the FDA and Florida-based Eye & Wellness Center said the evening's temporary fun could lead to long-term problems.

It is against the law to purchase or sell contact lenses without a prescription from an ophthalmologist or optometrist. While the illegal purchase of colored-contacts occurs year-round, the amount heightens around Halloween when people want to create a unique eye-color for their costume.

The center's Dr. Edward Kondrot, an ophthalmologist and board-certified physician said, "The problem is that people are unaware that contacts that are not prescribed by an eye doctor are likely to cause damaging effects on your eyes.

“Poor quality plastic releases bisphenol-A and phthalates, which are endocrine disruptors and they can interfere with sexual development. These lenses can lead to cuts, sores, corneal abrasions, ulcers and possibly blindness.”

Here are a few health risks that can occur from over-the-counter contacts:

>> Dyes: Unusual colors in the contacts can be toxic to your eyes, causing serious, sometimes irreversible damage.
>> Poor fit: Contact lenses that don’t fit correctly can lead to a lack of moisture in your eyes and cause ulcerations.
>> Lack of sanitation: Over-the-counter lenses are illegal and not regulated by the FDA. Your risk of contracting a bacterial infection increases with poorly manufactured contacts.

Michael Tam RMH Retailer of the Year

Martin & MacArthur photo
Retail Merchants of Hawai'i Retailer of the Year Michael Tam in the Martin & MacArthur workshop.


Here are the winners of the Retail Merchants of Hawaii's Ho’okela Awards, honored Oct. 24 at the 2013 RMH annual conference that took place at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort.

Retailer of the Year: Michael Tam, Martin & MacArthur president and CEO

Local-born Tam returned to Hawaii in 2008 with a track record of senior leadership in global companies such as Nordstrom, McDonald’s International, Starbucks, and American Eagle Outfitters.

Tam and chairman Simon McKenzie are responsible for leading the Martin & MacArthur team to achieve sustainable, profitable, and long term growth and making the company more relevant to today’s lifestyles.

During the past five years, Martin & MacArthur doubled the number of craftsmen it employs, now totaling more than 30. It opened nine new stores, including its first stores on the Big Island and Kauai.

Martin & MacArthur represents nearly 200 local Hawaii craftsmen in its stores, making it the single largest supporter of fine craftsmanship in Hawaii. The company is also at the forefront of koa reforestation, working with private land owners on the Big Island and Hawaii Legacy Hardwoods. For every piece of furniture sold, Martin & MacArthur plants a new koa tree in honor of the customer.

Governor’s Award for Exemplary Service to the Retail Industry: Kelly Kauinana, Pearlridge Center marketing director

Retail Business of the Year, State of Hawaii: Tori Richard

Retail Business of the Year, Hawaii Island: Hula Daddy Kona Coffee

Retail Business of the Year—Kauai: Ishihara Market, Ltd.

Retail Business of the Year—Maui: Uptown Service, Inc.

Retail Business of the Year—Oahu: Fisher, Hawaii, Inc.

Retail Employee of the Year: Laura Ross, Hula Daddy Kona Coffee

Resort Business of the Year: Hawaiian Quilt Collection

Neighborhood Retail Business of the Year: Eki Cyclery

Best New Retail Business of the Year: Island Olive Oil Co.

E-Commerce Retail Business of the Year: IDEAL808

Founded in 1901, the Retail Merchants of Hawai'i is a state-wide not-for-profit trade association committed to the growth and development of the retail industry in Hawai'i. According to RMH, the retail industry is the largest single generator of general excise tax revenue and employs almost 25 percent of the workforce in the state.

Google honors Hollywood costumer Edith Head

Google illustration

And we thought geeks were unfashionable ... it's nice to see Google make a nod to the fashion community with its logo tribute to the late eight-time Oscar-winning Hollywood costume designer Edith Head, whose birthday is today.

The designer, born in 1897, had no art, design or costume design experience when she was hired as a costume sketch artist at Paramount Pictures in 1924, but created her first costumes for "The Wanderer" in 1925 and by the 1930s established herself as one of Hollywood's leading costume designers, dressing stars such as Mae West, Dorothy Lamour, Marlene Dietrich, Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren and George's mother Rosemary Clooney.

She was working on 1940s-style costumes for the Steve Martin and Carl Reiner comedy "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid," starring Steve Martin and Carl Reiner when she died on Oct. 24, 1981, and the film was dedicated to her memory.

Edith Head with her Oscars.

She dressed Cary Grant and Grace Kelly in "To Catch A Thief."

'Project Runway All-Stars': Ari out

Lifetime photo
Ari South's punk challenge design.

When it comes to state pride, Hawaii has a strong reputation for supporting its own in the national arena, so many were looking forward to seeing Ari South compete on “Project Runway All-Stars” Season 3, which began airing last night.

Unfortunately, the euphoria was short-lived as Ari was the first to exit the show, in the episode, “Punked,” an ode to the punk trend, fueled in part by Spring 2013’s Met Costume Institute exhibition, “Punk: Chaos to Couture.”

Studying the exhibition would have been helpful to many of the designers, who didn’t seem to have a feel for the punk ethos. Only Seth Aaron Henderson and Jeffrey Sebelia seem to have grown up with the punk mindset, and, though Seth Aaron’s ensemble was fabulous, it wasn’t really punk in that it was way too polished. Similarly, judges’ “criticism” for Ari was, her design was “too well tailored.”

Punk from the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute's “Punk: Chaos to Couture” Spring 2013 exhibition.

Designer interpretations of punk from the Met exhibition.

The Met show noted how American punk fashion was simply anti-fashion T-shirts, denim and leather jackets, while the British style we came to associate with the punk scene grew out of the mainstreamed designer aesthetic of Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren.

The designers were sent to a makeshift workroom in the basement of the MOOD fabric store with the idea of creating a crude workspace for work that was initially rough, torn and battered. I think only Jeffrey got the challenge, in that he created a messy tangle of a skirt, with an imperfect fitted black jacket with leopard collar that a true punk might have come up with by Frankensteining thrift-shop finds.

In the end, Elena Slivnyak (Season 10), won her first challenge after following her model’s advice to wear her jacket backward. That gave it a straitjacket effect the judges, including Blondie’s Debbie Harry, liked, though Elena’s colorful jacket still registered more as New Wave to me.

 Jeffrey Sebelia's design came closest to the makeshift, DIY spirit of punk.

After the episode aired, Ari posted to her Facebook page: “Thank you, to all my fans and family for your ENDLeSS love and support ... And for the result of tonights episode: Too well tailored, too well designed, and too classy might get you eliminated, but they also get you into Neiman Marcus. #stillwinning #honored #grateful @projectrunway thank you for the opportunity, it was a great experience. #itiswhatitis blessings are coming and I am ready. There is always perfection in the plan. Live and love to no end.”

Ari remains a fan favorite at the Lifetime site, with the most Facebook likes of all the designers. You can still show your support with a “like” at http://www.mylifetime.com/shows/project-runway-all-stars/season-3/designers

You can also show your support by shopping the designer’s latest collection at Neiman Marcus.

Elena's design more New Wave than punk, but the winner nevertheless, with the approval of Blondie's Debbie Harry, herself borderline punk/New Wave.

It will be really interesting if the competition comes down between Jeffrey and Seth Aaron Henderson, who created this ensemble. I was a fan of both "Project Runway" winners during their respective seasons, though Seth Aaron may have an edge because Jeffrey's been working in children's design, and as he said, hasn't been hands-on sewing for a long time. Other designers mentioned during the episode that he was struggling.

Ari South to debut on 'Project Runway All-Stars'

Lifetime photo

Don't forget to tune into "Project Runway All-Stars" tonight, when local designer Ari South makes her national debut on the Lifetime fashion design competition.

You can read all about it in my story that appeared in the paper on Oct. 17: http://www.honolulupulse.com/2013/10/ari-south-project-runway/

HFM: Nominees for the Governor's Fashion Awards

Hawaiiredmagazine.com photo
David "Pua" Rochlen Jr. of Surf Line Hawaii/Jams World is the Lifetime Achievement Honoree for the Governor's Fashion Awards taking place Oct. 30 as the finale to the inaugural Hawai'i Fashion Month. Rochlen carries on the legacy of his father, who championed the Hawaii surf and lifestyle brand across the nation in the 1960s.

A triumphant inaugural Hawai'i Fashion Month will come to a close Oct. 30 with the presentation of the 2013 Governor's Fashion Awards at The MODERN Honolulu.

The event starts at 7 p.m. If you're in the biz, tickets to the can't miss event also celebrating the 60th anniversary of 'Iolani Sportwear, 50th anniversary of Hilo Hattie's, and 10th anniversary of Fighting Eel are $125 at governorsfashionawards2013.eventbrite.com

Congratulations to all the nominees and good luck Wednesday! See you there!

Lifetime Achievement Honoree: David "Pua" Rochlen, Surf Line Hawaii and Jams World

NOMINEES LIST

Established Designer of the Year
Rona Bennett and Lan Chung, Fighting Eel
Lisa Cabrinha, Letarte Swimwear
David "Pua" Rochlen, Jr., Surf Line Hawaii, Ltd. (Jams World)

Emerging Designer of the Year
Matt Bruening, Matt Bruening
Deborah Mascia, Mu‘umu‘u Heaven
Cora Spearman, Coradorables

HFM: 'Iolani Sportswear marks 60-year milestone

Nadine Kam photos
From left, Carla and Lloyd Kawakami with sons Nick and Alex, who have built up 'Iolani Sportswear, the company started by patriarch and matriarch Keiji and Edith Kawakami in 1953.

'Iolani Sportswear celebrated its 60th anniversary with a rooftop garage party at the company headquarters at 1234 Kona St., above Side Street Inn, which catered the fundraising party.

Casual fashion shows highlighted recent designs from the company that continues to build on the success of founders Keiji and Edith Kawakami, with the addition of contemporary street wear to complement classic aloha wear collections.

In between fashion shows and enjoying the food, guests could browse the 'Iolani Sportswear shop, with proceeds from the evening's sales and admission benefiting the Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific, which is also marking 60 years.

The event was a part of Hawai'i Fashion Month, and the company will also be celebrated, along with Hilo Hattie (marking its 50th anniversary) and Fighting Eel (celebrating 10 years) during the Governor's Fashion Awards taking place Oct. 30 at The MODERN Honolulu. The event starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $125 at governorsfashionawards2013.eventbrite.com


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Miss Hawaii 2013 Crystal Lee on the runway in 'Iolani.

 Kapala provided music for the event. Manoa DNA—Lloyd, Alex and Nick Kawakami, showing they have talent beyond fashion—also performed later in the evening, though by then I was off to see the Hawai'i International Film Festival opening night film "Final Recipe." It was a wonderful, warm-hearted foodie film, so catch it when it comes back.

Favorite dishes from Side Street Inn were on the evening's menu.

On the red carpet at Eurocinema Hawaii

Nadine Kam photos
"Glee's" Harry Shum Jr., left, on the Eurocinema red carpet with Shelby Rabara and Chris Lee. Shum later claimed the Eurocinema Rising Star Award.

Luxury Row Presents EuroCinema Hawaii hosted its 4th annual awards gala Oct. 18 at the Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort and Spa in Waikiki.

The festival, dedicated to showcasing European films, with 11 nominated films from Italy, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, Norway, Ireland, Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands.

Harry Shum Jr., best known for his character, Mike Chang on "Glee," was a paparazzi favorite on the red carpet and at the end of the evening received the 2013 Rising Star Award for his contribution to the industry. The award was presented by Daniel Dae Kim.

Jurors for the awards were local journalist and movie aficionado Bob Jones, Hana Hou! editor Julia Steele, and production designer Jane Ann Stewart, whose film credits include "Election," "Sideways," and "The Descendants."

Here are the winners:

Best film: The Princess Dialta Alliata Di Montereale Award for best film went to a Belgian-Dutch co-production, "Broken Circle Breakddown," by director Felix Van Groeningen.

Best director: Italian legend Bernardo Bertolucci for "Me and You."

Best actress: Paulina Garcia for her performance in the Spanish-Chilean co-production, "Gloria."

Best actor: Luca Barbareschi for his performance in the Italian film, "Something Good."

Best student film: For film students from the University of Hawai‘i’s Academy for Creative Media, went to "Little Girl's War Cry," directed by Erin Lau. She won a cash prize of $1,500 sponsored by the Sunny Dupree Family Foundation.

"Little Girl's War Cry" is the story of a 10-year-old Maori girl, Tiara born on the island of Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. Raised by a struggling single mother, who is repeatedly abused by her boyfriend, Tiare shelters herself from reality with her hero-centered imagination, until a prank goes wrong and she must dconfront the violence that stains her childhood and family.

Founded and incorporated in 2009, EuroCinema Hawaii is dedicated to the advancement of understanding among, and cultural exchange between, the peoples of Europe and Hawaii through the medium of film, and to the financial support of student filmmakers in Hawaii. In April of 2010, EuroCinema Hawaii announced its partnership with the Hawai'i International Film Festival, creating a Festival within a Festival.

Ingo Rademacher, with wife Ehiku, shows his "Dancing with the Stars" form on the red carpet.

Kelly Hu wore a sleek black, sequined gown to the event, which took place at the Moana Surfrider.

 Sebastian Siegel wrote, directed and co-produced this year's Bond-inspired Eurocinema trailer.

 Princess Dialta Alliata Di Montereale, representing Eurocinema Hawaii, and Hawai'i International Film Festival executive director Chuck Boller, prepare to introduce the evening's award presenters after a little dance on stage.

"Lost" and "Hawaii Five-0" star Daniel Dae Kim, left, with a fan, presented the evening's Rising Star Award to Harry Shum Jr., right.

Guillame Sadeler, of Cartier Honolulu, with "Lost's" Henry Ian Cusick.

The Eurocinema committee gathered on stage for a photo prior to the awards ceremony.

Edward Atkins wins Pull-In online vote

Online voters have selected Edward W.K. Atkins as the 4th artist whose design will be produced and sold next year in the Pull-in Hawaii 2014 Limited Collection celebrating the brand's flagship store opening in Waikiki.

Atkins joins three other winners selected earlier: Lee Maxwell, Kai Kawamoto and Koreena Nagain.

Winners will receive a cash prize and a launch party to promote their design and their work as artists. Atkins won with more than 1,200 votes out of 2,300, from a field of 43 artists who entered.

The store is slated to open at 227 Lewers St., Waikiki Beach Walk. Stayed tuned for more info about the opening date.

Pull-In was created in 2000 by a former marketing director of Quiksilver Europe, Emmanuel Lohéac. The international French designer label features underwear and beachwear in eye-catching graphic prints for men, women and children. Originally created as a surf apparel brand, Pull-In quickly became popular with celebrities such as Madonna, Eva Mendes, Snoop Dogg and Ben Gordon of the Chicago Bulls.

'Bats and Cats' at Forever 21

Forever 21 has launched a limited-edition "Bats & Cats" collection featuring Batman and Catwoman-inspired apparel, accessories, cosmetics and PJ sets, just in time for Halloween.

Look for Batman tees, the Batman emblem in the form of a two-finger ring, bat-wing sunglasses and more, in prices from $5.80 to $24.80.

UGG Australia expands its footprint at the Hyatt

Nadine Kam photos
UGG Australia now has double the space in the Hyatt Regency Waikiki to showcase its sheepskin and shearling boots, accessories, loungewear and housewares.

UGG Australia hosted a preview of its new store expansion at Hyatt Regency Waikiki this morning, in advance of its public reopening celebration at 6 p.m. Oct. 24.

The event on the 24th will feature a store blessing, live music and refreshments, plus complimentary on-site Swarovski customization offered with the purchase of any classic UGG during the event. Shoppers will be able to choose a heart, peace sign or star design to embellish their new boots.

The expansion adds 1,938 square feet to the boutique's exisitng store, doubling its size to 3,778 square feet, with room for expanded collections of men's, women's and children's footwear, as well as the brand's handbags, loungewear and UGG HOME collection of knit pillows and sheepskin rugs and throws.
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UGG Australia – Honolulu is at the Hyatt Regency Waikiki, 2424 Kalakaua Ave. Call 926-7573.

Hiroko Iijima wore her own sequined summer UGGs to the preview event.

Tall boots in a range of materials, from leather to knits, are available for the fall season.

Free shave ice celebrates OluKai's newest collection

OluKai photo
Free shave ice awaits those who check out OluKai's new Shave Ice Collection, in the colors of the rainbow.

OluKai is treating fans of their footwear to free shave ice in celebration of its new Shave Ice Footwear Collection, inspired by the fresh tropical colors of the favorite Hawaiian isle treat.

The collection includes such vibrant new additions for both men and women, in cool island colors such as "Punch," "Plum," "Tiger's Blood," "Mint," "Sour Tart," "Lemon," and more.

The events will take place as follows:

Oct. 16: At Island Sole Outrigger Hotel, 2335 Kalakaua Ave., Suite 104, 5 to 7 p.m.

Oct. 17: At Island Sole Ala Moana Center (street level near Food Court), 5 to 7 p.m.

Both events will offer free servings of shave ice while supplies last. While there, share your experiences via social media by using the handles, @olukai and @islandsole and the hashtag #treatyourself.

HFM: 'Snapshot of Style' pops up at Kahala Mall

Dallas Nagata White's "Lava Kiss" will be up for silent auction at Kahala Mall's "Snapshot of Style" event.

Kahala Mall will present “Snapshot of Style,” a pop-up photo gallery and fall shopping event for Hawai'i Fashion Month, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 16.

The one-night only exhibition of work by Hawaii photographers, including Kicka Witte, Keith Kandell, John Hook, David Murphey, Dallas Nagata White, and others, will highlight the event, an evening store crawl with sips and light bites as guests discover snapshots of fashion and lifestyle in Hawaii captured by camera.

Other highlights include in-store promotions, live DJ and an exclusive scavenger hunt with live prize giveaways at Center Court, including a two-night stay at The Modern Honolulu, a Kahala Mall shopping spree, and more.

Upon entry, guests will be given a VIP booklet which includes the following: an exclusive VIP savings pass, five featured photographs hidden in five participating stores. Guests will visit participating stores not only for great deals, but also to find the photos shown in the VIP booklet. After they complete the search, they’ll turn in their completed forms to be entered to win live prize giveaways at 8:30 p.m.

The five in-store photographs will also be featured in the Oct. 16 silent auction, with 100 percent of proceeds to benefit Kapiolani Medical Center’s Campaign for Children.

Some of the photos to be showcased at the event are already pretty famous, like the “Lava Kiss”
photo by Dallas Nagata White that went viral this year and was seen everywhere, including National Geographic online and the Huffington Post.

Visit www.KahalaMallCenter.com for further event information or www.Facebook.com/kahalamall for further “Snapshot of Style” event details.

'French Fling' reason to Pop-In @ Nordstrom

Nicolette Romano, left, and Lansing Sugita try on berets at the launch of Pop-In @ Nordstrom Oct. 10.

Nordstrom's first Pop-In concept, titled “French Fling,” is now open, featuring a selection of hand-picked, French-inspired goods and exclusive items from French and American designers alike, including Repetto, Rodarte, Proenza Schouler, Kenzo, Saint James, Maje, Venessa Arizaga, Olympia Le-Tan, and more, through Nov. 10.

The Pop-In boutique also marks the first time products from Paris-based store Merci will be available stateside, giving shoppers the chance to pick up the brand’s chic home goods and novelty items.

The design for French Fling was created by Rafael de Cárdenas of Rafael de Cárdenas/ARCHITECTURE AT LARGE, to suggest a Paris urban garden with niche Parisian products hidden within, "a garden of delights, so to speak,” said de Cárdenas.

The concept launched in eight stores nationwide, including the Ala Moana store, and online at Nordstrom.com.

The Pop-In @Nordstrom series is the initial project by Olivia Kim, Nordstrom Director of Creative Projects, who joined the company in February. With each new theme, Kim will fill the shops with a curated collection of her coolest finds, including exclusive and limited-edition items. The first round of pop-ups was inspired by Kim’s visit to Paris for Fashion Week in March.

The shop also gave Kim the opportunity to work with some of her favorite brands to create brand new products designed especially for Nordstrom. In a press statement, she said, “I love the frenzy that’s created from a pop-up shop concept—that spontaneity and emotion is one of my favorite things about working in retail. I love getting people excited to shop.”

Each pop-up shop marks a big commitment. As the following time-lapse video shows, each will have its own custom-built set befitting the varying themes and destinations.


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Next up, the destination will be London.

Susan Sunderland was taken by this Eiffel Tower-shaped grater, one of several items for the home available at the French Fling Pop-In @ Nordstrom.

Limited-run Olympia Le Tan book clutches.

Repetto ballet flats customized with metal charms.

Cute eared rain cap.

Best times for shopping and saving on holiday gifts

If you're preparing for the holiday gift shopping season, you might want to wait, because patience seems to pay off.

Savings.com analyzed more than 1.5 million deals from 25,000 retailers and polled leading consumer and shopping experts to determine the best times to buy popular holiday gifts.

The data reveals that in addition to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, there are several other peak sale periods during which consumers should be shopping to maximize their savings.

Highlights include:
Electronics: Black Friday and Cyber Monday continue to offer deep discounts on electronics, but there will also be eye-catching deals the first two weeks of November as retailers try to entice consumers to start their holiday shopping sooner. This will be especially noticeable this year, because the calendar has six fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and retailers are expected to kick off their promotional strategies earlier than ever to make up for the lost shopping days.

Clothing and accessories: The best time to buy apparel and accessories, including shoes, jewelry and handbags, will be Cyber Monday, with all the major online retailers offering significant site-wide deals. However, the highest volume of deals will be available from Dec. 15 to 24. As the days go on, the quantity of deals will go down, but the percentage off will go up.

Food and wine: In the three days before Christmas, the best discounts will be on food and wine, both of which serve as appropriate last-minute gift options for friends, coworkers and neighbors.

Toys, games, sporting equipment: Although there are great door busters on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, there will be triple the amount of deals in this category the first week of December. For those who procrastinate, another spike will come around Dec. 20.

For more information, visit Savings.com.

'French Fling' first of 'Pop-In @ Nordstrom events

Nordstrom is inviting you to a French Fling with the launch of “Pop-In @ Nordstrom,” from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 10 (tonight).

The event is the start of a series of themed pop-up shops in eight stores, including our Ala Moana location and at Nordstrom.com.

Today's pop-in is an homage to all things French, featuring a hand-picked selection of French-inspired goods ranging from designer duds to colored pencils to one-of-a-kind clutches, and more, from brands like Rodarte, Repetto, A.P.C., Olympia Le-Tan, and more.

You're invited to enjoy champagne and pommes frites while you shop.

Similar events will take place at Nordstrom stores at:

San Francisco Centre
Santa Monica
Florida Aventura
Chicago Michigan Avenue
New Jersey Garden State Plaza
Tysons Corner, Virginia
Downtown Seattle

RSVP here.

NM welcomes La Petite Robe's Chiara Boni

Nadine Kam photos
La Petite Robe founder Chiara Boni was in town for a trunk show and fashion show of her creations, one of which is being worn by Rain Umu. NM Vice President and General Manager Al Tomonari welcomed Boni.

Neiman Marcus hosted a lunch and fashion show featuring Fall 2013 gowns, followed by a special La Petite Robe segment with a personal appearance by Florentine designer Chiara Boni.

The designer is known for her classic, feminine dresses that help to sculpt the female figure, though the secret scaffolding underneath it all is a pair of Higher Power Spanx that mask panty lines and helps you to ease into the dress from the floor up. There's no going over the head with these dresses.

Chiara helped to develop the fabric, a bonded jersey that grew out of sportswear fabric. She worked on developing the proper weight that would give women support, and rich, saturated colors that would not bleed in the wash or onto the skin.

Models in varying lengths and styles of La Petite Robe, with designer Chiara Boni in black at center.

The designs are meant for easy wear, and women at my table, who each own four to five of the $650 to $975 dresses or gowns, raved that they never need ironing, travel well, and can be machine washed with the regular laundry.

"What women want is different from my mother’s day, when women changed three times a day,” the designer told me after the show, adding that today’s women want clothing that will take them from day to evening, appropriate for the office, and sexy for evening, without being over the top.

Her inspiration also comse from the beauty of Florence and being transported to other worlds by reading books as a little girl. She said she could always imagine what the characters were wearing and set about to recreate the vision she had in her head.

Later, friends were encouraging me to try on one of the dresses. "Not after lunch," I said.

Pull-in Hawaii artists want your votes

As noted in an earlier post, Pull-in Hawaii held its first live design competition at OUTFIT: Hawaii Fashion Designers Market, Oct. 2 and 3, and three winners have been named: Lee Maxwell, Kai Kawamoto and Koreena Nagai.

Their designs will be a part of the Pull-in Hawaii 2014 Limited Collection to be sold in the new Waikiki flagship store at Waikiki Beach Walk, 227 Lewers St., when it opens at the end of the year.Winners also receive a cash prize and a personal launch party to promote their design and their work.

But, there's still one more spot up for grabs, and the public is invited to cast votes for a fourth winning design. Voting will close at noon Oct. 16.

To view the entries, see who's on top, and vote, visit https://www.facebook.com/EclectikGroup?sk=app_278465152274055

HFM: A celebration of 'Fashion as Art' at HiSAM

 Nadine Kam photos
Models tread carefully on the wet glass tiles of the Hawaii State Art Museum's Sculpture Garden during a First Friday show of bridal and evening wear featuring the work of 15 local designers.

Adding a touch of glamour to First Friday festivities on Oct. 4 was the Hawai'i Fashion Month double bill of the HiSAM bridal and formal wear fashion show and "The Way We Wear" exhibition, which ran from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Hawai‘i State Art Museum.

The fashion show was free, one of the signature events of Hawai‘i Fashion Month, with designers showcasing evening and bridal gowns in the open air of the HiSAM sculpture garden, with a soundscape by DJ Teley Brandon. Featured designers were Nicole Vermillion, Lauren Tiburcio, Beverly Horton, Bernard Foong, Sarah Yama­shige, Randy A. Leano, Jaclyn Mae Santos, Chun Hui Chen, Sahra Indio, Feliz Salas, Ryan Hana­oka, Erin Midori Ludolph, Breanne Lee, Alegra Matsuo Mossman and Michele Y. Matsuo.

Attendees were encouraged to don black-tie and evening attire in keeping with the theme.

The evening started with a rain blessing, which ended with the start of the show, but started to come down hard, timed to the show's finale, which brought out either cheers or screams from fans. It was hard to tell which, but by show's end, visitors watching from the second-floor gallery had begun to scatter.


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All agreed the show was beautiful, though those of us who love fashion were saddened by the idea of the designers going home with gowns with wet hems. Maybe there's a good dry cleaner in town who is willing to offer their services.

The event also marked the opening of "The Way We Wear," an exhibit offering a glimpse into local culture through clothing from various times and places, with garments from the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts' Art in Public Places Program and on loan from the University of Hawaii at Manoa's Historic Costume Museum.

The free exhibition will continue through Jan. 18 in the Diamond Head Gallery. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, except state and federal holidays. The museum is also open for First Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. (galleries close at 8:30 p.m.) monthly.
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HiSAM is at 20 S. Hotel St. Call 586-0300.

At left, Corin Gentry stopped to pose after the show with designer Erin Ludolph, right, and her model Mahina Alexander, and Condesa-Azria Nora Meijide-Gentry.

Designer Beverly Horton was one of the few designers to go with print. Her dress flowed beautifully on the runway.

Bollywood costumes star in East-West Center exhibition

Nadine Kam photos
Bollywood film costumer Nidhi Yasha is in town for the East-West Center Arts Program "Bollywood & Beyond: Costume in Indian Film." She's shown with costumes she created for "The Buddha." 

If you're a fan of Bollywood film and have some free time Sunday (Oct. 6) afternoon, from 2 to 3 p.m., you might consider heading to the East-West Center Gallery for a talk by Nidhi Yasha, film costumer, creative director and owner of NY Studio in Mumbai. She'll be giving an illustrated talk about "Fashion Through the Ages: Costumes in Bollywood Film," in conjunction with the gallery's exhibition "Bollywood & Beyond: Costume in Indian Film."

The exhibition will run through Jan. 12, 2014, and there is a full schedule of weekly Sunday events planned, including talks, a dance workshop Oct. 20 with Harmony Turner, and several film screenings. All the events are free.

My interview with Nidhi will appear in the paper at a later date.
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The East-West Center Gallery is in the John A. Burns Hall, 1601 East-West Road. The gallery is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays to Fridays, and noon to 4 p.m. Sundays. Closed Saturdays and holidays, including, coming up, Dec. 22, 24, 29 and 31.

Some examples of the intricate designs embroidery and embellishment that go into Bollywood film costumes. An exhibit of costumes and red carpet gowns are on display at East-West Center Gallery through Jan. 12, 2014.