Goodwill Kaimuki shows new look

Nadine Kam photos
Models Bella Williams, left, and Kristylove, graced the windows of the Kaimuki Goodwill store during its grand reopening celebration.

Goodwill Kaimuki unveiled its new look March 31 after a makeover that is part of a rebranding campaign Goodwill Hawaii began in 2015.

Goodwill Hawaii worked with 50|50, a local creative agency, that incorporated elements like aloha shirts and other iconic Hawaii imagery into window displays, and introduced a brighter color palette. The new designs will also eventually be incorporated into all of Goodwill Hawaii’s program locations, donation centers, and stores on Oahu, Maui, the Big Island and Kauai.

Those shopping will find premium merchandise in a window at the front of the store, where manikin displays by Amanda Stevens and Rene Rodriguez often started fights for the pieces when they came off the manikins the first Sunday of the month. Now people simply cue up the morning after in hope of snagging one of the coveted pieces.

The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation was credited for providing much of the funding for the makeover.

To celebrate the store's new look, special offers, discounts and prize giveaways will be available to shoppers who visit the Kaimuki location through April 3.

Pastor Ron Arnold from Kaimuki Christian Church made the opening remarks at the unveiling, reminding everyone of Goodwill's history, started in 1902 by Boston Rev. Edgar J. Helms, a Methodist minister who turned out to be what we call today a social innovator.

Guests were treated to plenty of pupu and a performance by the Goodwill Signing Stars, comprising participants from the Hoolana Program for Adults with Disabilities.

He collected used items from the wealthy, repairing them for use by the less fortunate, then training those in need to mend and repair, resulting, Arnold said, with "not a hand-out, but a hand up."

With community support, Goodwill continues to help people who have barriers to employment. In addition to reclaiming and restoring goods, he said, "Men were reclaimed and restored as well."

It's an important message today as we contend with growing homeless populations and numbers of people in crisis.

From July 2014 through June 2015, Goodwill Hawaii assisted more than 11,000 people statewide with job training and placement programs.
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The Kaimuki Goodwill store and donation center is at 3638 Waialae Ave. Visit www.higoodwill.org for more information.

The store's fresh new look.

Special finds have a place in a window at the front of the store. I snagged this sequin skirt for about $16.

Even the windows got a makeover.

Manikins in the window are styled by Amanda Stevens and Rene Rodriguez. The display ties into the recent Pink Tie Ball, a fundraiser for the Susan G. Komen breast cancer nonprofit.

Honolulu Fashion Week 2015: 'Get Out!'

Nadine Kam video still
Keke Lindgard opened and closed the “Get Out!” fashion show during Honolulu Fashion Week 2015, in a Bliss Lau x Meleana Estes lei dress.

BY NADINE KAM

The “Get Out!” show of casual wear by local designers that took place Nov. 21 during Honolulu Fashion Week 2015 is one of the most fun for me, just because Don Sumada’s styling echoes my aesthetic of fun, comfort apparel with a touch of shine, metal and glitz. And because I’m short, things that move and flow, like fringe and billowy fabric.

So funny because I hate to be noticed or for people to look at me, yet I like some loud pieces that are confusing to my friends, who ask, “Then why do you carry a shiny purse?” Or, in the case of daytime sequins in the blazing Honolulu sun, “You’re blinding me!”

I think that for many who are afraid of mixing and matching disparate pieces of clothing, the showcase is an eye-opener in how to elevate casual pieces. Yes you can mix camouflage and sequins, yes joggers and swimwear can look glamorous at night. Most importantly, yes local style can travel to any destination in the world.


Non-flash video

While so new to this town, Honolulu Fashion Week is an important time for everyone in the industry and people were talking about how hectic the weekend was in taking in four to six shows over two days. In the big picture, that is a snail’s pace. The last time at New York Fashion Week, I went to four shows a day, about 28 shows in all when there are well over 100 official shows going on.

The finale look by Meleana Estes and Bliss Lau, known for her body jewelry was a show stopper, a two-piece, resort-white peasant top and skirt worn by Keke Lindgard and draped in body “chains” of hundreds of bozu flowers strung into lei. It provided a moment of drama every fashion show needs.

 Paulina in a Moon Collective safari camo jacket, sequin skirt and Zacarias cube bag.

Travis in Moom Collective safari jacket and Honolulu City T-shirt.


This time, Kini Zamora and Manuheali'i's Danene Lunn were the only designers who had their own shows, but as brands grow I can see a day when dozens of homegrown talents are also able to send 40 of their own looks down a runway.

And, it was exciting to have New York Fashion Week creator Fern Mallis in the house, as well as the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute curator in charge Harold Koda in town because I’m fascinated by costume and would have loved a peek behind the scenes at the museum collections. I feel lucky to have visited three of the Costume Institute shows during his tenure: “Chanel,” “Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty,” “Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations,” and “Punk: Chaos to Couture.”

I had the opportunity to interview him between the local shows. He was so humble and interesting, we ended up talking for an hour and I missed dinner, so I was starving. But that’s typical of fashion week, when in New York during that time no one has time to eat.

My interview with Koda, who’s retiring at year’s end, will appear in Thursday’s paper.

The New Yorkers: Honolulu-born Lynne O’Neill, executive producer of Honolulu Fashion Week, with Harold Koda and Fern Mallis.

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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.

Honolulu Fashion Week model search is on

Eli Schmidt photo
Hawaii-born international model Keke Lindgard modeled a Bliss Lau volcano bead dress worn over a Matt Bruening evening gown during last year’s inaugural Honolulu Fashion Week.

BY NADINE KAM

Are you the next Keke Lindgard? The local model, back home for Honolulu Fashion Week, has walked Paris runways, been featured on international magazine covers and been the face of Gucci Eyewear?

Find out if you have the look of an international superstar during the Honolulu Fashion Week Model Search taking place 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 22 at Hawai’i Convention Center.

A panel of judges are searching for models between the ages of 15 and 24.
Females should be 5-foot-8 or taller, and guys between 5-foot-11 to 6-foot-3. Bring one to two portfolio images.

Models should wear:
— Simple, form fitting clothes.
— Tight jeans or short skirts and tight tank tops or T-shirts.
— Heels for girls.
— No slippers.
— Clean hair and clean face (no product in your hair and very minimal make up)
— Bring a bikini (women).

Judges are:
— Roman Young, Wilhelmina International
— Bobby Gutierrez, Wilhelmina Models, NYC
— Damon Rutland, NOMAD Management
— Lynne Hanzawa O’Neill, fashion show director
— Brie Thalmann and Stacey Makiya, fashion editors, Honolulu magazine
— Lashauna Downie, Bliss Models and Talent
— Ryan Brown, Wilhelmina Hawai‘i
— Joy Kam, Kathy Muller Talent and Modeling Agency

Models will be seen on a first-come, first-served basis, with the last model seen at 12:30 p.m. Selected models will be featured in Honolulu magazine and have an opportunity to be featured in next year’s fashion week event.

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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.

You may have seen Hawaii's Keke Lindgard

Photos courtesy Wilhelmina
Model Keke Lindgard, left, in a campaign for DKNY's resort collection.

The Wilhelmina model search brought Roman Young back to town, and I got a chance to talk to the Iolani graduate about how he got his start in the biz and how he worked his way up to becoming Director of Scouting for the New York office.

My story will be in Thursday, Feb. 24's, paper.

He also talks about model Keke Lindgard, who's from Kaaawa, and who has taken the fashion world by storm, landing a spot on Style.com's Top 10 Newcomers list in 2009, and going on to fulfill that destiny. She's landed major campaigns with the likes of Gucci, Ralph Lauren and D&G, as well as walked runways as diverse as Rag & Bone, Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti, Tommy Hilfiger, Christian Dior and Armani Privé.

Keke Lindgard for Gucci Eyewear.

Roman said that in spite of her success, few in Hawaii know her name because her work has been in New York and Europe. A lot of people from Hawaii do well abroad, without us necessarily knowing their names.

Keke in a Trussardi Jeans campaign.

That's not only in fashion. Some of my favorite musicians have been from Hawaii, though few here have ever heard of The Dambuilders or ... And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead because they left and never looked back.

Granted, ... And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, now based in Austin, Texas, is not for everyone, but at this point the band is my absolute favorite. I was lucky to catch their one of their shows when I was in New York in 2009, because who knows when or if Conrad Keely will ever bring his band home to play. Like I said, the band is not exactly a household name here.


Here's one of my videos from the show, but if you watch you have to stay til the end to get the full scope of the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8m9eCkmQBs Be forwarned, they have two drummers so it's gonna be loud.



Beyond music, Conrad is also a gifted artist who has been toiling in steampunk imagery long before he knew there was term for his futuristic and industrial, yet Victorian sensibility.

Here's a link to a video of him talking about his art and his notion that hoop skirts are sexier than bikinis.

Conrad Keely's comic book artwork coincides with the release of ... And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead's new release "Tao of the Dead."

Conrad Keely at the drawing table.

Picture of Hawaii in New York

Leah Friel photo for HI Luxury

Found out a while back from model Hudson Taylor that one of the "Destination Unknown" photographs I styled for HI Luxury's August-September 2010 issue is hanging on the wall of the New York Models because they picked up another local model, Mahina Garcia, who was in the shoot with Roycen Dehmer.

Hawaii faces are getting out there; that's cool! Maybe that's one of the reasons Wilhelmina is coming to town. Then they can have first pick.

This particular shoot was a strenuous one that involved much hiking on sand to our destination. But it always seems like the most painful shoots turn out to be the most rewarding. I imagine it's a lot like childbirth, where you forget about the pain once you see the results.

Wilhelmina coming to Hawaii

An affiliate office of Wilhelmina is Honolulu-bound. Longtime ADR agency owner Ryan Brown signed a licensing agreement with the global modeling powerhouse, and the first model open call will take place Feb. 19 at Windward Mall. I'll have more information closer to the date, but if you have modeling ambitions, it's probably wise to get your portfolio in order.


Wilhelmina Hawaii will open with two divisions, men and women, with plans to add teens and children in fall, encompassing editorial, high fashion, ramp and commercial modeling. The new affiliate will actively scout, develop and produce models for national and international markets, including possible placement Wilhelmina International's corporate offices in Los Angeles, New York and Miami.

Brown has been a Hawaii agent for almost 20 years, and has been the owner of the Screen Actors Guild franchise agency, ADR Agency for 12 years. ADR will continue its operations under agency director Nazarene Anderson.

For more information, call 447-9434.