Hawaii companies in the SI swim

Letarte SI images

No doubt some are ogling their annual Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.

The magazine is a boon to many an island swimwear and accessories company, helping to put many small businesses like Hula-la! and Marylea Conrad's Ki-ele on the international map through its combination of print, website and coffee table book.

You can read my story on Maui Girl, a company who had one bikini selected to being handpainted onto model Shannon Click by bodypaint artist Joanne Gair this year. Maui Girl's owner Debbie Wilson, believes hers is the first from Hawaii selected for the honor.

Maui Girl has been in the issue four years in a row, but the Hawaii's granddaddy of SI is Letarte, also from Maui, which has made the issue 11 years in a row. This year, Letarte has six swimsuits in the issue, and 15 more online.

You can read about what it took Wilson to get into the magazine in my article in today's paper.

Congratulations all!

Ivanka on business and pending mommyhood

Nadine Kam photo
Ivanka Trump on the balcony of the Trump International Hotel Waikiki Beach Walk earlier today, just after our interview.

Ivanka Trump was in town Feb. 16 to discuss the Trump International Hotel Waikiki Beach Walk, Trump Hotel Collection and their brand’s commitment to Hawaii.

I wasn’t sure about going because those are topics generally covered by our business section. I just knew it could be uncomfortable in that kind of press conference situation when all the reporters are typically on point, then comes this one person from an offbeat publication asking an out-of-left-field question that sets everyone in the room groaning because for journalists, one bad question is time wasted in these limited-time situations. In this case, I would have been the oddball asking about her dress or pregnancy. Yikes!

It turned out the press conference was all of about 5 or 10 minutes, then she made time for individual interviews, so I could ask all those lifestyle questions in private. Yay!

I had about 10 minutes with the gracious Ms. Trump, who I’ve always admired for using her intellect instead of her blondness and other physical attributes to get ahead. She always comes across as a tough, strong, workaholic, when she could have just as easily grown up to be a spoiled brat, content to spend daddy’s or some Ivy League beau’s money.

I’ve been intrigued by her ever since I saw her Ivanka Trump Collection jewelry store on Madison Avenue three years ago. I was staring through the glass doors, and the security guard opened it and staffers were trying to beckon me in, but I didn’t want to waste anyone’s time, so declined.

I liked the idea that she was doing her own thing, separate from her famous father, Donald Trump. Since then, she’s moved on to shoes as well, and I asked her about how she balances her own business endeavors with that of the family, and her pending motherhood.

She said she doesn’t often think about balance beyond trying to avoid overtaxing herself, though her idea of overtaxing may be different from most individuals’.

Her whirlwind 24-hour hop to Hawaii was a good example. From here, she’s heading for more work in Panama, then, L.A., before heading home to New York, a three-day work trip.

She said, “Balance is a funny thing. It doesn't mean that much to me. When I haven’t slept in three days it’s because I’m trying to accomplish something or I’m working on a deal.”

I asked her whether she got her work ethic from her dad or mom Ivana, and she said, “Some of it is who you are, some of it is your environment. My parents are both very driven, very motivated people and that transferred. My brothers are the same way.”

And so is her husband, Jared Kushner, publisher of the New York Observer, who also has real estate interests.

IvankaTrumpCollection.com

Ivanka said her work as Executive Vice President of Development & Acquisitions for the Trump Hotel Collection trumps her other fashionable pursuits, but she said everything she does creates synergy for the brand, making cross-promotions possible. “It’s all luxury, very exclusive and I view it all as enhancing the lifestyle brand my father created.”

Ivanka said she hasn’t given much thought as to how her duties might change once her baby arrives in July. “You don’t know until you know,” she said.

She hasn’t to her mom about what to expect, either, saying, “It seems real but it doesn’t feel quite so imminent yet.”
But she fully expects to be on her feet and back in the boardroom quickly, already scheduling meetings a week-and-a-half after her due date. “We’ll see, check back with me in July.”

My last question came in the form of a note delivered to me as I was sitting, waiting for my interview. Malie Moran of Hawaii Red Magazine had to know who designed her dress. So I asked. The feminine, drape-front LBD is the creation of Jerry Seinfeld’s long-ago amour Shoshanna. Ivanka’s jewelry and pumps were from her own collection.

Junior League warms up for 'Sacs' at Tory Burch

Nadine Kam photo
From left, Jennifer Dotson, Betsey Hannah and Carrie Loveless are in shopping mode at the Sacs in the City pre-event.

About 150 members of the Junior League of Honolulu flocked to the Tory Burch store at Ala Moana Center Feb. 11 for the "Sacs in the City" pre-event. Attendees were able to shop for clothing and accessories in advance of the March 5 event at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort & Spa, and they took their task seriously. There wasn't much room to maneuver through the roomful of women, grabbing and reaching.

The only man in the shop was JLH member Kimberly Miyazawa Frank's husband, a brave man indeed.

The Sacs event will run from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the 5th, and feature lunch, a silent auction and runway fashion show featuring Tory Burch's Spring 2011 collection.

The theme of the 7th annual Sacs in the City is "Rodeo Drive in Paradise," and the highlight will be the silent auction of handbags from such luxury brands as Fendi, Gucci and Anteprima. Other items up for bid include goods, services and vacation packages from Four Seasons Resort Lanai, Paul Brown Salons, Hilton Hawaiian Village, Hawaii Theatre, and more.

Tickets to Sacs are $85 per person, available by visiting the JLH website at www.JuniorLeagueofHonolulu.org. You can also visit the league's Facebook fan page at The Junior League of Honolulu’s Sacs in the City.

The event will benefit the league’s community projects for women, teens and families, such as My Story, helping adolescent girls with body-image and self-esteem issues; Wahine Forum leadership conference for women; and Kids in the Kitchen, which promotes healthful eating habits in children.

Marcie Uehara Herring, current president of the Junior League of Honolulu, right, shows the Tory Burch clutch she purchased during the Sacs in the City pre-event. She's with JLH past treasurer Charise Shigeta.

Jennifer Dotson, left, with Ashley Wang.

From left, Veronica Rocha, Irene Kwan, Lizette Chang-Zahn and Sherri Vallejo.

Sherri Vallejo tried on Tory Burch's dramatic multi-jeweled Lucite leaf necklace. It's $295.

Design Ink's Stephanie Chang will be contributing a social media workshop to the Sacs in the City silent auction. I liked her post-holiday use of sequins, in a skirt from J. Crew.

Carrie Loveless was trying to choose between a woven bronze-color Reva ballet flat ($235), or silver metallic ($195) version. I don't know which she chose, or if she simply decided to go home with both.

Valentine's Day, Harry Winston style

Nadine Kam photos
Nicole Fox was among the women who were able to try on the $2 million 13-carat diamond. She said it was heavy. We'd be afraid to wear it out the door.

For the woman who has everything, Harry Winston presented a pre-Valentine's Day cocktail event Feb. 11 at its Ala Moana Center store. The centerpiece of the event was a 13-carat emerald cut diamond ring, valued at $2 million.

In this era of equal opportunity, though, it looked like any woman expecting such a diamond today might have to pick up the tab herself. There were far more women ogling the stone than men desiring to buy it!

I was offered the opportunity to try on the ring, but being the practical sort who doesn't waste time on things that aren't within the realm of my reality, I tried on some stunning half-carat diamond rings at about $6,000 to $8,000, instead. For the romantic, there were smaller heart-shaped pendants and rings as well.

So lovebirds, if you're in need of that last-minute gift ...

Harry Winston director James Schaefer with Valerie Ragaza-Miao and Nicole Fox.

For most of the evening, the $2 million ring was kept behind glass to be admired. I was pointing my camera in that direction and some women thought I was photographing the diamond, but I had moved on to this stunning selection of cheese, nuts, dried apricots, and fresh fruit. Also, in keeping with the Valentine's theme, there were huge chocolate-dipped strawberries.

Guests, from left, Nichol Isobe, Cheryl Shintani, Trisha Takara and Sophia Huynh.

Joy Kam (no relation), left, and Hollie Sweet.

Sandler goes with fashion

Sony Pictures
One of my friends went to "Just Go With It" just to see Jennifer Aniston's wardrobe, which the actress has said was mostly her own.


What? Fashion in an Adam Sandler movie? I was going to see "Just Go With It" anyway because I like Adam Sandler. To me, I just need one reason to see a movie, be it a particular actor/actress, director, story or costuming. One of my friends was enamored by the dresses Jennifer Aniston wears in the new comedy, so that was one more reason to go.

In the movie, Sandler is a womanizing plastic surgeon and Aniston is his office assistant Katherine. When he needs a fake wife to help with his ruse, he enlists Katherine to play the part. But he needs her to look the part of a successful surgeon's wife, so she has to ditch her own wardrobe and he takes her on a shopping spree of high-end stores. It made me wonder if Sandler threw in the shopping scene gratuitously for women in the audience.

But Aniston did look striking in the shift dresses she wore, including the RM by Roland Mouret Pigalle wool dress, below, which was in black in the film:

But my friend really liked Aniston's crochet dress, which is shown in the movie's poster, and below. It's Anna Kostarova's Marissa tennis dress, available for $259 at www.annakostarova.com.

My friend also oohed and ahhed at the sight of the Azzedine Alaia belt Aniston wore with a white shift:

And there were lots of Jimmy Choos in the film:

As usual with romantic comedies, it was predictable and there were lots of groan-worthy moments but I did laugh. My friend said I was the only one who laughed when they were hiking and Sandler's friend/brother? was attacked by a wild pig—a little one at that!

Bliss Lau launches new collection in New York

 

Click here to see Aaron Ekroth's video for Bliss Lau.

Hawaii-raised accessories and jewelry designer Bliss Lau sends word that she just presented her first formal collection, "Embraced," for Fall-Winter 2011 on Feb. 6, a few days ahead of the official New York Fashion Week.

She shared a video of the show, made by Aaron Ekroth, also a local boy who moved to New York. Another of his videos of the photographing of her Spring-Summer 2011 collection lookbook can be viewed at his website, signalflair.com. Click on "Documentary Style Videos."

It looked like a great event, with food, beautiful people in black and ballet dancers as models.

Bliss says many others from Hawaii helped her work the event, including Susan Stanton, and the designer is doing her best "to keep the 'ohana strong up here in the cold of winter!"

Seeing Bliss's collection again reminded me that I always meant to pick up one of her body armor/jewelry pieces from Tiffany Tanaka, if she has any left!

You can read more about the show at Style.com.

Ivy h.'s Fall-Winter 2011 collection debuts

Photos courtesy Ivy h.
Visions of white- and yellow-hot magma, the black surface of lapahoehoe and blue of the Pacific as lava and ocean meet inspired Ivy Higa's latest collection for Fall-Winter 2011.

It was great to be able to catch up with Ivy Higa by phone in advance of her Ivy h. New York Fashion Week Fall-Winter 2011 presentation in Midtown Tuesday night.

The previous times we talked, our conversation had to be chaperoned by Lifetime in case she spilled any of the results of "Project Runway."

Since then, she's been busy working on her Big Island volcano- and lava-inspired collection, and she says it's "do or die time," as far as funds are concerned. She was in the same position last spring, and ultimately decided on auditioning for the show in hope of being able to sustain her business another year.

The question always is, how long does one chase a dream if one has to eke out a living? There are a lot of lucky people who have unlimited support and can afford to separate art and commerce, but unfortunately, many others who choose to create must weigh both aspects of their work.

I think hers is a dream worth pursuing, so I feel sad about the thought of her ever giving up for lack of money. I don't think she'll ever stop designing, but, even though she's currently working with fashion superstar Zac Posen, there's a big difference between working on someone else's collection, and calling a collection your own. And having had her taste of creating a brand, I'm sure it must feel like nurturing a baby. You want to see it thrive and be successful for a very long time.