Fashion Tribe: Pull-In to Waikiki for new undies

Nadine Kam photos
Darth Vader is less frightening in his Pull-In undies.

Pull-In Underwear opened its doors with a media event Dec. 11 with owners Emilie and Frederic Cannas and informal modeling of underwear and swimwear.

The Cannas, from Corsica, France, fell in love with Hawaii and tried to figure out how to move here permanently. Although neither has a fashion background—she was in education, he ran bars—they decided they could make a living by introducing locals and tourists to the high-performance French brand, Pull-In Underwear.

Pull-In was created by Emmanuel Lohéac in 2000 with the idea of revolutionizing the lingerie market by introducing bold, fun prints we more likely associate with children's underwear, and efficient, high-performance materials such as Lycra and 100 percent certified organic cotton mixed with Elastane fibers for stretch and comfort.

Covered with print, the undies are so colorful and sturdy, they look more like swimwear and the Cannas said the brand is a natural for Hawaii, where we have the option of pulling off your outerwear and simply jumping into the water when the mood hits.

Kelia Fu and Sani Taylor in Pull-In designs with colorful cupcakes to match some of the fun prints available. The cupcake print below also has a circle reading, "Yummy!"

Our regular underwear is simply too flimsy and thin for that. I know, because while I was in Bali earlier this year, I met a British guy and we were just hanging around talking after lunch and it was hot day, so all of a sudden he says he wants to go for a swim and asks if I want to join him. I was like, "Oh, did you bring swim shorts?" and said I had to go back to my room and change into a swimsuit.

So he just strips to his underwear and cannonballs into the pool! If I had some Pull-In pieces at the time I might have done the same, but no, I didn't.

Meanwhile, the store is running a contest through Dec. 23 to win a special Xmas gift pack as pictured above. To enter:

1. Follow @Pullinunderwear on Twitter or @Pullinstagram on Instagram.

2. Take a photo of yourself in the new store on Waikiki Beach Walk, 227 Lewers St. near Giovanni Pastrami.3. Post your photo on Twitter or Instagram with #pullinhonolulu, and mention the store in your post.

This is a global contest and one winner per store will be chosen at random. No purchase is necessary. The winners will get a notification on their Twitter or Instagram account by Christmas.

The store is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

May the force be with you in Pull-In Underwear. Briefs are about $29.99 for women;
$39.99 for men. Bikini tops run $39.99 to $49.99.

Marketing director Thierry Daupin, right, with owners Emilie and Frederic Cannas, and Conchita Malaqui, left, general manager at Waikiki Beach Walk.

The way these briefs are seamed in the back is supposed to give men a butt lift. However, no one in the media crowd volunteered to put them to the test.