Honolulu Fashion Week: From one kind of runway to another

Nadine Kam photos
One of Korean designer Lie Sangbong’s creations, presented during the Hawaiian Airlines Presents: Runway to Runway fashion show during Honolulu Fashion Week.

BY NADINE KAM

As a sponsor of the 2nd annual Honolulu Fashion Week, Hawaiian Airlines presented a “Runway to Runway” fashion show of international designers from Hawaii and destinations served on its travel routes, and partnered with a handful of Honolulu Community College Fashion Technology Program graduates and other emerging designers for a unique experiment in upcycling as a fun way to demonstrate social and environmental responsibility.

The HCC graduates and participating designers from The Cut Collective + Creative Lab’s Fashion Immersive Program were invited to participate in the airline’s “Cabin[to]Couture” project as a platform to showcase their skills using first-class and coach seat materials that were removed from planes after HA rejuvenated the cabin of its Boeing B717 neighbor island aircraft earlier this year with modern, lightweight seats.

Hawaii designer Kaypee Soh, right, with Japan model/actress Hinano and center, AULA designer Yukimi Kawashima.


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The upcycled garments and accessories made from the old seat fabric were unveiled in a small exhibition that greeted fashion week participants over the weekend.

When approached with the project, Joy Nagaue, professor of the Fashion Technology Program at HCC said, “I accepted; our students can do anything!”

And so they can. The work shown by Randy Oribello (Class of 2014), Chai Lim (Class of 2013) and Jacky Lau (Class of 2013), was nothing short of amazing in detail, and even more impressive given the weight, thickness and inflexibility of the fabric.

This airline seat, above, became the dress below. The upcycling challenge was part of Hawaiian Airlines “Cabin[to]Couture” challenge to emerging local designers.

Chai Lim was inspired by the notion of air and flying in creating an airy, short skirt paired with a clean, structured strapless top. The 2013 HCC graduate works at Tori Richards, as a pattern technician.

Making my way through the market place toward the end of fashion week, I overheard one vendor refer to Oribello as “the grommet king” due to his corsetry expertise.

Other Fashion Immersive participants were clothing designers Chanterelle Chantara and Lizzy Chitamitre, jewelry designer Emiko Miyazawa, textile and handbag designer Jana Lam.

“Fashion and design have always been deep-rooted in the Hawaiian Airlines brand,” said Alisa Onishi, director of brand management at Hawaiian Airlines. “This project allows us to give back to our local community through education in a very unique and original way.” You can read a bit more about the airlines’ fashion history in one of my older posts here.

Then at 8 p.m. Saturday, lights dimmed for the “Hawaiian Airlines presents Runway to Runway” show featuring the capsule collections of Hawaii’s Kaypee Soh; Tokyo’s AULA, designed by Yukimi Kawashima; Ellery from Sydney, designed by Kym Ellery; Todd Snyder from New York; and Lie Sangbong from Seoul.

It was a fantastic showcase for all, and I’m looking forward to seeing Kaypee Soh’s full collection in December.

A cage dress presented by Korea's Lie Sangbong.

A gown by Lie Sangbong.

An ensemble by AULA's Yukimi Kawashima.

Randy Oribello’s “patchwork” corseted bustier is layered with strips of main cabin seat covers paired with a short skirt and peplum. Love the use of the fabric in the bustier’s back detail, below. The 2014 HCC graduate now works in the costume department at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa at Ko Olina.

Jacky Lau was inspired by the shapes within the seat covers and created a futuristic tail jacket paired with fitted cargo pants lined with pocket details, below. A sales associate at Macy’s, he said his pursuit of design stems from an interest in cosplay.

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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.