Honolulu Community College Fashion Technology instructor Joy Nagaue, center, shares student and alumnus euphoria following the “Full Circle” fundraiser that took place Nov. 19 at Stage Restaurant.
Stage Restaurant at the Honolulu Design Center partnered with Honolulu Community College to host a fundraiser celebrating the success of former students, allowing them and the community to give back to the school.
“Full-Circle: A Dining and Fashion Experience” took place Nov. 19 at the restaurant, with dinner followed by a fashion show by current and former students, highlighted by another three presentations by HCC Fashion Technology program alumni Andy South’s Ari South, Manuheali’i's Danene Lum, and KINI and DINKO’s Kini Zamora.
Ari and Kini gained renown through their national appearances on “Project Runway’s” Season 8 and 13, respectively.
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The event opened with a silent auction of items, many of them apparel or jewelry items made by current or former students. Ari offered an emerald-colored gown that ended up being won by Michele Sorensen, wife of HDC owner Thomas Sorensen, and casting director Brent Anbe won Kini’s strapless denim mini dress, one of four denim pieces that he brought to the “Project Runway” audition to win his spot on the TV design competition.
Brent smartly saw it as a collectible item. I wanted it too, but was looking at it as a wearable piece, and thought, oh that size 2 waist! Sadly, it’s been a couple years since I’ve been a size 2. No wonder I don’t shop as much these days!
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What was most surprising is that Zamora, with design partner Dean Dinko Satta, was able to come up with a show completely different from his Hawai’i Fashion Month showcase a little more than a week earlier!
This show included a more complete men’s collection, some show-stopping couture pieces (a few from past collections), and a flowing blouse modeled by Kelsey Campbell, that looked similar to one that Zamora created on “Project Runway,” that was mistakenly credited to competitor/teammate Sean Kelly. Consider this a public correction.
And for her segment, Ari South surprised audience members by appearing as a model in one of her own dramatic designs in white, marked by a graphic chevron design of cleverly placed sheer panels.
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Net proceeds from the event will support the Fashion Technology Program and the Fashion Technology Scholarship fund at Honolulu Community College to benefit students.
The shows impressed guests so much that many wrote checks to the program on the spot, and instructors were hoping to have enough to pay for some new sewing machines and repairs for several that are broken.
Anyone else in the community who wishes to make a contribution to the school can visit www.uhfoundation.org for more information.
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