aloha rag pre-fall 2010 collection

w's military blouson

hello again! i meant to share aloha rag's debut in-house collection last week but had too much fun exploring portland with my sweetie and found myself delighted to be unplugged from the interweb during our wanderings. now that i am back online, let's enjoy a peek at the honolulu boutique's capsule line designed by shop proprietor tatsugo yoda.

pre-fall 2010 features an edited offering of staples for men and women updating iconic silhouettes from a flannel interpretation of the chanel jacket to revisiting the preppy cardigan via a collaboration with thakoon (a favorite of the first lady). little details like heart and skull patches referencing the shop logo and unexpected zippers add a sweet surprise to the minimalist designs. the military blouson jacket remains my favorite . . . although i suspect the bubble backside may not be the most flattering for curvy hips.

aloha rag x thakoon m's cardigan

denim dress * oversized tee * woven jacket

m's military jacket

the garments are mostly made in japan and the price tag ranges from $80 for a tee to $785 for a leather motorcycle jacket. even if the line is out of your budget, it is still a fun browse if you swoon for fashion.

the collection has been in-store for awhile now but is newly available to online friends who can now shop the m's and w's pre-fall 2010 lookbook. or, find your way to aloha rag's honolulu flagship or nyc outpost:

• hnl: 1221 kapiolani blvd, suite 115
• shop hours: mon to sat, 11a to 8p & sun, 11a to 6p

• nyc: 505 greenwich street, soho
• shop hours: mon to sat, 11a to 7p & sun, 12p to 6:30p

stacia spring 2010

baja stripe hoodie

spring seems to have finally arrived on the west coast but the cozy lightweight layers found throughout the spring 2010 collection from la-based label stacia would have been most welcome during a windy visit to maui (gusts up to 50 mph!) and a chilly family potluck in mililani.

the first thing to catch my eye were the bold stripes sprinkled throughout the collection which seem to be a bit of a departure from recent offerings. this time around designer stacy johnson took inspiration beyond the shores of her childhood island home filling her sketchbook with memories of the gorgeous baja coast with its sparkling blue seas juxtaposed with arid desertscapes for a modern and softer take on the scratchy woven textiles many a tourist has lugged back from the border.

brighter possibilities were plucked straight from the candy colored jersey shore and that dreamy beach house found on so many of our wish lists. bamboo jersey blends are spring's featured ecoknit and appear in varying weights in a mix of covetable cardis, hoodies, tees, dresses and scarves.

chevron stripe vee

baja dress

square scarf

stacy's studio is only open by appointment and the occasional sample sale so your best bet is to click over to the online shop or find your neighborhood stockist.

• where: 1307 ½ pico blvd, santa monica
• fyi: by appointment only

l.a. readers can also scoop up looks from past seasons at the designer sample sale pop-up shop on abbott kinney in venice.

p.s. after you take a peek at the collection, remember to click over to comments and share your favorite styles!

a handmade holiday

partridge in a pear ornament + ginko song wine pocket

it's been a bit too long since the last etsy day post, and, while scouting for holiday goodness, i discovered that space moderne recently re-opened its etsy shop after a long hiatus. lucky for us, momi, the baltimore-based designer behind all this felted loveliness, has introduced a handful of new designs and stocked the shop with past favorites just in time for the holidays!

our space is too small to squeeze in a xmas tree but the handmade ornaments would certainly add a modern bit of indie cheer to your holiday decor whether you will be gathering round a towering pine or opt to hang a simple, festive garland.

wine pockets made to be gifted (and re-gifted), playful ipod cases, and whimsical vases complete the collection.

mod dot indie trees

scully bird clutch

bubble ball ornaments

almost all of the featured designs are currently stocked in limited quantities in the space moderne etsy shop so do hele over asap to scoop up your favorites in time to enjoy them this holiday season. (the exception is the delightfully wintry bubble balls which are from last season so if you covet a set do convo momi to see if she has any hiding in her stash)

p.s. readers near baltimore have a chance to say hello in person over the next two weekends when space moderne hits the local indie craft show circuit. click over to the etsy shop for all the details.

weekly sales sheet

sig zane * nina kuna designs

sig zane celebrates its 24th anniversary with a two day sale! enjoy 24% savings at both sz's hilo flagship boutique and the online shop. in-store surprises include daily drawings for aloha shirts and $240 gift certificate giveaways.

p.s. online orders over $240 include an extra bonus to knock $24 off a future purchase.

• when: today, oct 9th & sat, oct 10th
• where: 122 kamehameha avenue, hilo
• shop hours: fri, 9:30a to 5p & sat, 9a to 4p
• fyi: online sale kicks off at 9:30a hst

on sunday, vintage fans will want to hele over to the mu'umu'u heaven yard sale stocked with finds priced from $5 to $50.

• when: sun, oct 11th - 9a to 1p
• where: 767 kailua road, kailua

rock shop returns next week with a vintage fashion bar stocked by cloth including reconstructed looks from the honolulu boutique's in-house label.

p.s. price tag for m's & w's vintage styles range from $8 to $18.

• when: mon, oct 12th - 6p to 9p
• where: honolulu design center, 1250 kapiolani blvd

Click to read more ...

new peeks: stacia fall/holiday 2009

low-slung cardi

september may still be sweltering in hawaii and the west coast but fortunately more temperate weather is only a page flip away on the calendar. happy news for those of us who swoon for cozy knits! while the rest of the world may think hawaii is only about beach side playdates, readers who have ventured up to a chilly cliffside lookout, big island mountain town (hello volcano!) or upcountry maui know every island wardrobe needs a stylish cover to keep the chicken skin at bay.

i've written before of la-based label stacia designed by oahu girl stacy johnson and, after all this time, we finally had a chance to meet up during edwin ushiro's opening reception a few weeks ago (along with the lovely misa hamamoto who designs a gorgeous eponymous jewelry collection). we dished about the hawaii fashion scene and growing up in the islands while stacy and misa clued me in on the designer's take on bringing their collections to market.

with autumn approaching, it seems like a fine time to share stacia's fall/holiday 09 collection which is composed of luxe-y knitwear designed to complement warmer climates. stacy employs variations of lightweight jersey knits in an ever changing palette of multicolored space dye to flatter every figure. new for the season are stacia's ecoknits which blend bamboo and soybean (which she considers a cashmere substitute) sure to delight fashionistas on the elusive hunt for sophisticated and sustainable style.

more peeks below . . .

buttoned cowl * cocoon

willow

a peek inside the studio

island fans crushing on the new designs will have to click over to the online shop for more peeks at stacia's autumn offerings since, alas, only one hawaii boutique is currently posted on stacia's extensive stockist list. select styles are currently on sale so enjoy that little tidbit of consolation while you wonder when island shopkeepers will come a-calling.

fortunately for la la land residents, this past summer stacy opened the doors to her santa monica studio where customers are welcome to stop by and shop the latest looks. sign-up for the mailing list to be notified of in-house trunk shows and sample sales where you can scoop up past season designs at a deep discount.

• where: 1307 ½ pico blvd, santa monica
• fyi: by appointment only

p.s. stacy also maintains one of the best designer blogs around sharing her inspirations and insights on the evolution of a collection from color forecasting to the sketch pad to posting behind-the-scenes adventures from stacia photo shoots.