Raiatea inspires LeSportsac "Mele" print

Nadine Kam photos
Raiatea Helm showed her new CD, "Sea of Love," and LeSportsac "Mele" print pouch being sold together in limited edition, yesterday at the Ala Moana Center store. She'll be at an autograph session at the store from 2 to 5 p.m. today, Oct. 15.

LeSportsac has a long history of artist collaborations, but these have tended to be with visual artists whose work translates easily onto LeSportsac's ripstop nylon handbags, totes, cosmetic pouches and travel bags.

Now, they've embraced music artist Raiatea Helm, with a launch of the exclusive Hawaiian print "Mele," inspired by Raiatea's voice and ukulele talent. A precedent was set when they worked with Gwen Stefani and L.A.M.B., but in my mind, L.A.M.B. was already a fashion brand, so it wasn't much of a stretch, whereas the Raiatea collaboration seemed to have come out of the blue.

Cindy Eastman, LeSportsac director of sales, said Raiatea's natural beauty, grace and talent is a great expression of the brand and its customers, and as for coming up with the design, she said that it took a good 12 months to develop the print that focuses on the ukulele—not any particular ukulele—designed in a way to include some of the iconic imagery of Hawaii in a way that would make "people understand it's a special instrument."

Raiatea will be at LeSportsac Ala Moana Center from 2 to 5 p.m. today for an autograph session and drawing for a three-piece Mele-print travel set.

LeSportsac director of sales Cindy Eastman, center, with Edna Hechtman, right, introduces Raiatea, her new CD and LeSportsac "Mele" print collection inspired by Raiatea.

Coincidentally, Raiatea just released her "Sea of Love" CD, and a limited collection of autographed CDs enclosed in Mele zip pouches will be available for sale, with all proceeds from both CD and pouch sales to be donated to the Japan Relief Fund through the Red Cross.

The brand continues to expand its collection, introducing eigh t new prints a month, which is unheard of in the industry, which generally focuses on four to five seasonal collections a year.

The Mele print isn't based on any particular ukulele, but KoAloha's Alan Okami, left, stopped by to show his support for Raiatea and Waikiki Trader president and CEO James Geiger, who brought LeSportsac to Hawaii. Coincidentally, the ohana documentary "My KoAloha Story," is one of the film's in this year's Hawai'i International Film Festival and will be screening at Sunset on the Beach at 7 tonight as well as Oct. 20 at Dole Cannery and Oct. 28 at Hilo's Palace Theatre.

Raiatea's favorite LeSportsac piece is the Edna, whose namesake Edna Hechtman, right, came up with the design, which Raiatea says is the perfect size for her iPad. Which makes me wonder whether Edna is psychic. I remember when she came up with the design, years before the iPad was invented!

That speaks to the collectible nature of the brand, with pieces from limited-edition lines in demand, and Eastman said there are also a lot of women who like to have multiple prints in their favorite styles of bag—whether a hobo or tote—just to have wardrobe options to suit any outfit.

Eastman also shared some of their works in progress, including welcoming Kate Sutton as their next artist in residence, and collaborations with Swarovski and Mary Blair for Disney's It's a Small World due next summer. Can't wait to see what they come up with!

A closeup of the Mele print, includes musical notes in the back that don't represent any particular song due to copyright issues. The ukes bear iconic imagery of Hawaii including a hula dancer, ocean sunset, flowers and rainbow.

There was a lot of media on Oct. 14 for the launch of Raiatea's collection. In front in black is Rae Huo, who chose Raiatea as the main subject of her and artist Zakka's online magazine Pop Iroiro's latest issue, before she knew about the LeSportsac collaboration.

As for future collaborations, look for a design by Mary Blair for Disney's It's a Small
World next summer. This is just an example of her work.

Diamond giveaway marks Diamond Bakery's 90th year

Ninety diamonds will be given away between Nov. 1 and July 31, 2012, by Diamond Bakery which began its 90th anniversary celebration Oct. 12.

I write about food and fashion, which can be a strange mix because fashion's most image conscious don't eat as much as the average person in order to fit the clothes and image they're trying to sell. I admit that my other duties put me 20 pounds over my ideal weight, but even the most avid fashion enthusiasts out there may be willing to munch on a few Saloon Pilots or soda crackers to participate in Diamond Bakery's 90th anniversary giveaway.

The company is launching a 90-diamond giveaway that will run from Nov. 1 to July 31, 2012, to celebrate the anniversary. There is no limit to the number of times anyone may enter to win one of the 90 natural, full-cut round diamonds, and there are three ways to enter:

Option 1: Enter to win online at www.diamondbakery.com/90, which goes live Oct. 20, by registering the “90 Diamond Giveaway” codes inserted in the following Diamond Bakery cracker packages:
>> 13-ounce soda crackers: Original, Low Sodium/No Cholesterol, and 0 Trans
>> 9.5-ounce Saloon Pilot crackers: Original and Low Sodium/No Cholesterol
>> 8-ounce Royal Creem crackers: Original, coconut, and ginger
>> 9.5-ounce Graham crackers: Original, Maui sugar, and cinnamon
>> 5 to 5.5-ounce All Natural Hawaiian crackers: Hawaiian Sodas, Maui Grahams, Hula Creems, and Waimea Wheats.

Option 2: Complete the information inserted in the special cracker packages and mail to Diamond Bakery, 756 Moowaa St., Honolulu, HI 96817.

Option 3: Join the Diamond Club at http://diamondbakery.com/diamondclub, a free rewards program.

Winning codes will be posted online at www.diamondbakery.com and on Diamond Bakery’s Facebook page on the first week of every month. Winners will be given instructions on how to redeem their winning codes for the diamonds at Kamaaina Metals and Jewelry. A photo ID will be required.

For more information, visit the Diamond Bakery website or call 847-3551.

Diamond Bakery factory store, circa 1930s, when the store and factory was at 1753 S. King St., now the site of Zippy's McCully and its parking lot.

Diamond Bakery was founded in 1921 as a dream of three friends—Japanese immigrants Hidegoro Murai, Kikutaro Hiruya and Natsu Muramoto—to create the perfect Hawaiian-made cracker. Who in Hawaii didn't grow up eating soda crackers and Saloon Pilots out of the familiar red boxes with the golden diamond-shaped logo?

In 2009, Diamond Bakery expanded distribution of its niche-selling sea biscuits, or Saloon Pilot crackers, along the continental East Coast. Diamond Bakery products have also spread to Japan and the South Pacific.

In keeping with the trend toward healthy eating, the company launched its newest product line of Hawaiian all-natural crackers last year, available at local and West Coast health food stores, including Whole Food Markets.

Two reasons to celebrate A/X Armani Exchange

Nadine Kam photos
From left, A/X Armani Exchange's New York-based senior director of events & lifestyle marketing Michelle MacKnight, area brand manager Andrea Sarmiento, associate manager Sherri Bergno and store manager Shirley Parel greeted guests following a Hawaiian blessing at the Ala Moana Center store on Oct. 11.

A|X Armani Exchange is celebrating two grand reopenings this week. The first took place Oct. 11, when the Ala Moana Center store marked the occasion with a traditional Hawaiian blessing after remodeling to update floor and fixtures for a sleeker stone and stainless steel look.

Then on Oct. 13, the public is invited to the new A|X Armani Exchange Waikiki store, which will host a grand opening celebration to mark its move to the Waikiki Shopping Plaza at 2250 Kalakaua Ave. The event takes place from 7 to 11 p.m. with DJ, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, a photo booth and an opportunity to win a $1,000 shopping spree.

In addition, every guest that makes a purchase that evening will receive a limited edition A|X Waikiki T-shirt. Following the event, those who make purchases of more than $100 will receive a limited edition T-shirt while supplies last.

The layout's the same at A/X Armani Exchange at Ala Moana Center, but the fixtures have been updated with sleek stainless steel and glass, and below, a gleaming new floor.

Reiko Rogers, right, and Mimi Nakano try on sweaters.

A couple of A/X Armani Exchange's fall/winter looks in Hawaii weights.

You'll also find a lot of fur accessories, ranging from purses to scarves to lined trapper hats.

Clean and classic for the guys.

Borsalino at MAX&Co.

Nadine Kam photos
A photo of me taken in the Photo Ops Hawaii photo booth that was part of the MAX&Co. Il Mio Cappello (My Hat) event introducing its collaboration with Borsalino. I'm wearing Borsalino's Milano hat.

MAX&Co. hosted an event Oct. 7 to introduce its collaboration with hatmakers Borsalino. The handmade hats, created with Max & Co.'s Fall/Winter 2011 collection in mind, are available in four styles that guests were able to try on while sitting for photos in Photo Ops Hawaii's photo booth.

When my inner stylist noticed the Milano hat I was wearing didn't quite mesh with my Hawaii garb, I donned one of the fur-collared jackets off the rack. A little while later, the store got its directive to make sure that everyone photographed with a hat is also wearing one of MAX&Co.'s coats. Makes perfect sense.

It was fun to play dress up. I love hats and these worked well for all who attended, including those who were shy at first, believing they don't have "hat heads."

The styles are:

Roma: The classic boho felt hat with a maxi brim. It's unlined and can be folded up and fastened with a leather strap for traveling; $385.

Siena: A narrow brim felt hat with grosgrain band. Unlined and can be folded up for travel; $370.

Milano: Wide-brimmed felt hat. Also unlined and can be folded up for travel, and available in red and black; $370.

Torino: Small-brimmed hat available in two wool patterns, with nappa band and striped cotton lining; $295.

Production of each hat takes some seven weeks of labor, involving more than 50 processes.

Although the company's golden age of hat production was from the 1920s through '40s, when everyone wore hats (and dressed up in general), the company achieved cult status with a new audience when its men's fedoras were featured in the 1970 gangster film "Borsalino," starring Alain Delon and Jean Paul Belmondo, and the film's 1974 sequel "Borsalino & Co."

Alain Delon wears a Borsalino fedora in the 1974 film "Borsalino & Co."

Chastity Malapit wears MAX&Co.'s Roma hat.

The Roma has appeared in editorial from Harper's Bazaar China, above left, to Vanity Fair, right, and Italy's Grazia magazine.

Manca Sustarsic, left, and Young-sil Yang pair Borsalino Torino wool hats with MAX&Co. trenches. The Torino proved popular that evening because for Hawaii, it's the least conspicuous to wear.

Meet VS Angel Alessandra Ambrosio tonight

Nadine Kam photos
Victoria's Secret Angel Alessandra Ambrosio is interviewed by MidWeek's Yu Shing Ting.

There's still time to get over to Victoria's Secret's new Waikiki Shopping Plaza boutique on Kalakaua Avenue, where VS Angel Alessandra Ambrosio will be greeting fans and posing for photos from 6 to 8 p.m. today to celebrate the store's grand opening.

The Brazilian model was at the beach fronting the Royal Hawaiian Hotel this morning for a media photo op, posing with a pink-and-white striped Victoria's Secret surfboard, followed by brief in-store videos.

Alessandra was the first spokesmodel for the brand's PINK collegiate line in 2004, and has appeared in 10 of the "Victoria's Secret Fashion Show" televised events. The next one will take place Nov. 9 on CBS, and will feature performances by Kanye West and Maroon 5, but with the designers at work on the garments for the visual spectacle, Alessandra said she doesn't know what she'll be wearing.

Knowing that millions of people tune in to the special, she said that when she does see her ensembles for the first time, she works out accordingly.

"I think, well, do I need to work on my belly or my legs. I concentrate on what part is going to be exposed," she said.

Umm, well, to me, it seems like every part is exposed, considering they're in the business of selling bras, panties and other intimate wear!

She said she's always amazed by what the designers come up with, and considering the size of the wings the angels don for the production, she said she tries to rehearse as much as she can.

Check out beach photos at HonoluluPulse.com.

At the front of the store.

Alessandra's favorite bra at the moment is the limited-edition Very Sexy Seduction push-up bra with Gel-Curve padding. It's $52.

The new store is home to the Victoria's Secret Bra Salon and Panty Boutique, the brand’s collegiate Victoria’s Secret PINK collection and a Beauty Bar carrying the VS Makeup collection.

'Hawaii Five-O': Keep your eyes on the shirts

Courtesy Tori Richard
The Columbus shirt by Tori Richard.

Sharp-eyed viewers might have noticed a new look for Steve McGarret in last week's episode of "Hawaii Five-O."

Alex O'Loughlin went local, wearing Tori Richard's Colombus print shirt, which is available at Tori Richard retail stores now for about $85. Made of Cotton Lawn, which utilizes Egyptian cotton, the fabric was developed by the company for comfort and heat resistance in high temperatures and humidity, so it makes sense for the TV cop to wear a shirt that allows him to look good and keep his cool factor high while chasing down bad guys.

Time will tell whether O'Loughlin will do for the island contemporary shirt what Tom Selleck did for orchid and jungle bird print shirts, which continue to sell online more than 20 years after his series, "Magnum, P.I.," went off the air.

I'm all for giving McGarett a more distinctive and stylish local look. The work shirts and cargo pants he wore last season weren't doing much to advance his heartthrob status ... for me anyway. I don't speak for women who like men in cargo pants and baseball caps.

Ads appear to acknowledge Chinese century

Couldn't help but notice when I opened up the New York Times Style section today, that there were three prominent ads featuring Chinese-looking models, a sign of the new century and changing world order.