Anthropologie opens its doors at Ala Moana Center

Nadine Kam photos
Anthropologie opened its doors with a private shopping event Jan. 31. The “Aloha” was spelled out with paper cocktail umbrellas, which you can see up close in a photo at the bottom of this post.

Anthropologie celebrated its grand opening from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday night with a private shopping event, with 10 percent of proceeds benefitting the Honolulu Museum of Art.

It should be a windfall for the museum because it looked like everyone was shopping. I was told there were 300 guests but it felt like a lot more because there were lines for cocktails, lines for the dressing rooms, and lines at the cashier.

Good luck when it opens at 10 in the morning.

There were a lot of cute clothes perfectly suited for Hawaii’s resort, casual chic and boho aesthetic, and I was especially happy to see 1,000 out of the store’s 5,000 square feet devoted to petites, an underserved market here. Even so, jumpsuits and maxis were longer than they should be, and sales associates showed how to knot the hems to get them to “fit” better. A cute look, but something we want to do as a sometime option, not a requirement.

Ahem, designers, 5 feet shouldn’t be the measure of a garment for a shortie when you take our heads into account!

Here’s a look around the store, located on the third floor, next to Emporio Armani:

The start of the line at 5:30 p.m.

Indigo and tunics in the 1,000 square foot petite section.

Beading detail on a Hawaii exclusive maxi dress in the petite section.

Marylea Conrad, right, gets help in the petite section from Donna Lum. Behind her is another Hawaii exclusive maxi with some fabulous textured ribbon detail.

 Anthropologie home style.

A few items for the kitchen …

… And the bath.

Jackie Walden tries on a hat. I later stood next to her in the cashier line, but even after paying for some items, I saw her shopping again.

Drawer pulls for every taste.

Some like it bare.

In the window.

The “Aloha” in the window was spelled out with paper cocktail umbrellas.
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Nadine Kam is Style Editor and staff restaurant critic at the Honolulu Star-Advertiser; her coverage is in print on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Contact her via email at nkam@staradvertiser.com and follow her on Twitter, Instagram and Rebel Mouse.