Governor's Fashion Awards honors Hawaii talent

Nadine Kam photos
David “Pua” Rochlen of Surf Line Hawaii/Jams World was the winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the reinstated Governors Fashion Awards ceremony that took place Oct. 30 at The MODERN Honolulu. Longtime fashion veteran Dale Hope, in a vintage 1965 Sandwich Isles tapa-print jacket presented the award with Gov. Neil Abercrombie.

It was one of the best-dressed events of the year as the Hawaii's fashion industry gathered to honor their own during the reinstated Governor's Fashion Awards ceremony that took place Oct. 30 at The MODERN Honolulu, the dazzling finale to the inaugural Hawai'i Fashion Month.

Before announcing the award winners, Gov. Abercrombie, self-conscious about his age, chuckled as he spoke of having known Surf Line Hawaii founder David Rochlen, and Hilo Hattie inspiration Clarissa "Clara" "Hilo Hattie" Haili.

While it's easy for many of us have grown up with a certain amount of entitlement to bellyache about how hard it is to get ahead these days, he reminded the audience that we can look at behemoths like Hilo Hattie and Surf Line/Jams World today and imagine they were fully formed from the beginning, but he said that was not the case, and in reference to Rochlen, said he had a strong belief in the industry and the confidence to make things happen back in the 1960s when no one was listening.

For the governor, it was an eye-opening experience to watch how a few key people in the business and fashion communities could come together to make a big difference in a few years, such as launching Aloha Fridays to boost sales of aloha wear.

From left, Hilo Hattie's Terri Funakoshi, CEO/President Don Kang and Felix Calvo. The company was named Major Retailer of the Year, and Kang also picked up the award for Outstanding Professional of the Year for his part in rescuing the company following Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Otherwise, the company would likely not have survived to see its 50th anniversary this year.

In their remarks, Hawaii Fashion Incubator co-founders Toby Portner and Melissa White, co-chairs of Hawai'i Fashion Month along with Sen. Will Espero, said it is still their aim to see where the needs and goals of the fashion community intersect, and to bring competitors together to work for the common good of the entire industry.

Industry veteran Dale Hope reiterated that point in his tribute to 'Iolani Sportswear, saying how he was afraid to approach company founder Keiji Kawakami for help, but that it was common in the early days of the industry for competitors to help each other out in times of need, when machines broke or if they needed a loan to get by, and he later learned that Keiji felt fortunate for having been helped by Watumull's.

In accepting the Lifetime Achievement Award, David "Pua" Rochlen of Surf Line Hawaii/Jams World said that when he found out about it, he didn't know why he won and thought he was too young to receive it. He humbly acknowledged that he was once told of running the company started by his father, "You did one thing right, you didn't screw it up."

He reminded all that the Hawaii fashion industry is about more than clothing, but offers the opportunity for all of us to connect with a lifestyle, culture, food, and all the things that create a feeling others can't find at home or anywhere else in the world.

He also announced that he is starting a petition to encourage the state to acquire the Nike building in Waikiki to showcase made in Hawaii products to the visitor market year 'round.

Here are the winners of the Governor’s Fashion Awards, announced Wednesday night at The Modern Honolulu at the close of the inaugural Hawai‘i Fashion Month:

>> Major Retailer of the Year: Don Kang, Hilo Hattie
>> Boutique Retailer of the Year: Deborah Mascia, Mu‘umu‘u Heaven
>> Emerging Designer of the Year: Cora Spearman, Coradorables
>> Established Designer of the Year: Rona Bennett and Lan Chung, Fighting Eel
>> Designer, Contemporary: Ari South, Andy South
>> Designer, Aloha: Jamie Makasobe, Ane Bakutis and Hina Kneubuhl, Kealopiko
>> Designer, Couture/Formal: Anne Namba, Anne Namba Designs
>> Designer, Jewelry: Jason Dow, Jason Dow Inc.
>> Photographer: Harold Julian, Harold Julian Photography
>> Wardrobe Stylist: Amos Kotomori, Amos Kotomori Ltd.
>> Beauty Professional: Paul Brown, Paul Brown Salons
>> Outstanding Professional: Don Kang, Hilo Hattie
>> Lifetime Achievement: David “Pua” Rochlen, Jams World

Congratulations to all, the finalists, and all those who put in the work day after day to make Hawaii a more beautiful place to live.

Pua Rochlen with wife Heather and keiki Nacho, David III and Pumehana, surrounded by Surf Line/Jams World 20-year employees. He bought three tables for his loyal 20-year workers.

Carla and Lloyd Kawakami of 'Iolani Sportswear were honored as the company marked its 60th anniversary this year. The family recently lost matriarch Edith Kawakami, but Carla said if she were here, she would remind them that any honors are not about us as the owners, but about the people who make it happen and the people of Honolulu.

From left, Wardrobe Stylist of the Year winner Amos Kotomori, with stylist Jose Santamaria, designer Beverly Horton, and Georja Skinner, chief officer of the Creative Industries Division/DBEDT. In his acceptance speech, Amos asked those in the audience to give the gift of time to mentor the next generation to strengthen the industry.

Inside Jim Thompson—The Thai Silk Co.

Jim Thompson photo
Jim Thompson June 2013 designs.

BANGKOK, THAILAND — Thanks to designer-stylist extraordinaire Amos Kotomori, I was able to tour the Jim Thompson—The Thai Silk Co., while in Bangkok, Thailand, on Sept. 4, where Amos is working as a guest designer for the company.

The company has a total vertical production system, from the raising of silk cocoons, fabric production, printing, sewing, leather-working. It was amazing to see the work that goes on at the company's headquarters. I wish I could have seen the silk production as well, but that was further out into the country.

The company's American founder is credited with having saved Thailand's dying craft following World War II, when machine-made textiles from Europe and Japan were displacing the handwoven silks being produced by farmers for additional income.

Nadine Kam photos
Spinning silk to create fibers that go on to the loom, below, to bring designers' initial inspirations to life before a decision is made to put a particular design into production.

During WWII, Thompson had been assigned to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), forerunner of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), assigned to work in North Africa, Italy, France and Asia.

He was confident that peace would be followed by an expansion of leisure travel to the Far East and decided to go into business in Thailand. He believed that the brilliance and quality of Thai silk would appeal to the West, and had the foresight to imagine a world-class designer brand built on luxurious silks.

Along the way, silk got a boost when the costume designer Irene Sharaff used the fabric for Rodgers and Hammerstein's 1951 Broadway musical and 1956 film "The King and I," a dramatic interpretation of Anna Leonowens experience as a governess in the Victorian era Court of Siam. Sharaff contacted Thompson, who sent her samples of Thai silk and photos of local dress from the mid-19th century.

Thompson had little time to enjoy his success. During a trip to Malaysia in March 1967, he left his bungalow for a walk after attending church services, and never returned, launching an islandwide man hunt. He was never found.

But the mystique of the adventurer and aesthete lives on in the company's line of scarves, clothing, handbags and home textiles.

Designer Amos Kotomori with Tinnart Nisalak, design director for Jim Thompson—The Thai Silk Co. I asked Tinnart about his inspirations, and he said everybody asks that but he never has a good answer. Indicating my dress and jewelry that day, straight from my visit to Bali, he said it's just a feeling that is the same as the impulse that made me put on that dress that day, and pair it with those particular jewelry pieces. His so-called non-answer was actually made more sense than anything else I've been told.

Jim Thompson's portrait is a prominent feature at the company headquarters.

Some of the many variations of red that go into Jim Thompson silks.

A few examples of home furnishing textiles, including a peacock feather design. I also had the opportunity to see the storyboards for next year's textile collections. All secret of course, but absolutely beautiful. 

Piecing a collection together, deciding which fabrics will be suitable for handbags, clothing, pillow cases, etc.

Amos Kotomori launches men's collection

Nadine Kam photos
Honolulu Community College Fashion Technology students and recent graduates turned out in support of their former teacher and mentor Amos Kotomori. From left are JennaBea Galton, Christopher Ching, Amos, Reise Kochi, Jarene Barrett and Thomas Downes.

Amos Kotomori launched his collection of men’s contemporary giclée print shirts at Neiman Marcus on Saturday afternoon, welcoming dozens of friends—old and new—and well wishers. A second event will take place 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 24.

Amos has been a renaissance man in the art-design-production-education fields for three decades, and while he started out as a textile-turned-fashion designer in the 1980s, his path changed. You can read the print story here. Ironically, starting to teach the fashion show production class at Honolulu Community College, and being exposed to students’ enthusiasm and excitement in learning the biz, beginning two years ago, rekindled his own love of fashion and desire to reboot and reinvent.

He’s been working on his collection for a year-and-a-half, and those who came late to the event had to be content to place an order for shirts. His first shipment is already sold out. Hopefully, this bodes well for Amos’ shirts getting picked up by Neiman’s for national distribution. It’s not easy getting into the stores, and it speaks to the quality of his shirts that he was able to do so his first time out.

Mehrzad Solymani, shopping with his wife Heidi, tried on one of  Amos’ sample shirts, all that was left by 2 p.m. Men had to place orders for the next shipment.

It was a good time to study the shirts, with their intricate wrap-around designs, which lined up at every seam due to the method of printing on panels of cloth, an expensive process. I spoke to HCC instructors Joy Nagaue, Lillian Zane and Karen Hastings, who all showed up in support of Amos’ work, and they marveled at the construction and fabric, rich silk-cotton blends.

What I’m waiting for, though, is his first women’s collection, which he now says probably won’t be out until holiday 2011. That’s a very long wait, considering I saw the start of it, the fabrics and prints, at his home in May. That was during a party for 2010’s newly minted designers from HCC alumnus Jay Sario. Before the guest of honor arrived, Amos offered to show me his works-in-progress, including gorgeous silk chiffons that make you want to cocoon and drape yourself in them. Can’t wait til they’re street ready!

Model Brigitte Patton snaps a photo of Amos’s collection.

Amos with a slimmer Amy Hanaiali’i, who shared the secret of her quick weight loss, appetite-suppressing drops and a mere 500 calories a day, in other words, half of what most people normally eat for lunch!

Amos with Honolulu Community College Fashion Technology Program instructor Joy Nagaue, who just got back from watching former star pupil Andy South’s “Project Runway” collection on the runway at New York Fashion Week. She said she’d brought all kinds of omiyage and lei for Andy and his fellow designers and staffers at Lifetime, but designers were whisked away immediately after the show to avoid any contact with the general public due to the secrecy surrounding the show’s finale. She caught up with Andy later, who was responsible for distributing the goodies from Hawaii.

Amos greeted shoppers throughout the afternoon.

Cathy Raymond arranges the lei she took off of Amos to allow him breathing room. Otherwise, it was like graduation!