the return of mr. ushiro

if you call la home or find yourself in so/cal in the next few weeks, hele over to lebasse projects which is hosting a new solo exhibit from maui-born artist edwin ushiro. since his artwork was featured last summer, edwin's fan base has continued to flourish with appearances at comic-con and art amsterdam filling his 2009 schedule.

one of the reasons to crush on edwin's artwork is his fascinating perspective of growing up in hawaii which he continues to explore in softly encompassing the womb. the mixed media moments from childhood skip from ethereal reflections of sweeter memories to reconstructed obake tales that hint of a more ominous side of the islands unfamiliar to tourists on holiday but whispered on playgrounds and across kama'aina campfires since small kid time.

time therefore remained idle

after its given all you wanted

i drift away silently

while hawaii continues to wait for an exhibit of its own, all are welcome to the opening reception tomorrow evening in la which will also feature the work of japanese artist ryuichi ogino. hope to see you there!

• when: sat, sep 12th - 7p to 10p
• where: lebasse projects, 6023 washington blvd, culver city
• show dates: sat, sep 12th to sat, oct 3rd
• gallery hours: wed to sat, 11a to 6p

p.s. click over to daily du jour at 3p pst (12p hst) today for a live streaming interview with edwin.

design date: kapa mua

sand dollar

two summers have gone by since the gorgeous quilted designs of kapa mua were featured on h|h and oahu readers finally have a chance to take a peek at the elegant island inspired blankets.

simply find your way to place, the nu'uanu atelier of interior designer & author kaui philpotts, which is hosting a summer exhibit featuring kapa mua quilts plus artwork from studio kaea and decorative island finds during its pacific interpretations show.

niho mano + feather cape

longtime readers may recall how san francisco designer michael pechinski distills traditional hawaiiana motifs and objects from the sea into kapa mua's modern bedding crafted with bold contemporary graphics with a delightful nod to the tropics. definitely crushworthy, no?

• where: place, 40 south school street, suite 100
• shop hours: mon to fri, 10a to 6p & sat, 10a to 4p

{mahalo amy!}

aloha rag x jil sander

first kicks/hi and sig zane collaborated with converse and earlier today aloha rag released a limited edition sneaker created in cahoots with designer jil sander. the design is best described as space age minimalist meets haute hipster which means the countdown clock is ticking if you covet one of the 55 pairs that are up for grabs.

alas, the fancy kicks do not seem to be stocked at the honolulu boutique so plan to hele over to the online shop or the nyc outpost to purchase a pair.

[update: sneakers are now available at both the honolulu and nyc outposts plus the online shop. many mahalos to the aloha rag staff for the scoop!]

• hnl shop: 1121 kapiolani boulevard
• shop hours: mon to sat, 11a to 8p & sun, 11a to 6p

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

malia mills swim 2009

pucker strawberry fields

whether your beach body issue is coverage or curves, ny-based swimwear architect malia mills (who may be the first hawaii-born designer to be inducted into the cfda) has a suit designed to flatter no matter your shape or size. the new collection recently hit the online shop with looks ranging from urban sophisticate with a minimum of fuss to pinup glamour complete with flirty shirring and cinches.

since malia was last featured, the eponymous label has expanded its seasonless offerings with a swoon-worthy selection of frocks for readers who covet city girl coverups. plus, a girls swim line also made its debut with the option to rock a matching mother & daughter set (phone order only).

more peeks below . . .

pleated flirt & majorette

dreamboat

diana * marais * tie me up

in happy news, the coconut wire sent along word that malia mills is returning to los angeles this week with the opening of an outpost at the brentwood country mart. 'tis the closest shop to the islands, so next time you find yourself in lala-land, hele over for a personalized fitting and the chance to scoop up jewelry from bliss lau, yet another local girl designer based back east.

• where: 225 26th street, santa monica
• shop hours: mon to sun, 11a to 6p

you can, of course, shop online or click over to the stockist list to locate a brick and mortar shop near you.

p.s. the bittersweet brown colorway is being retired so if you splurge on a new suit you can score one in b.brown for 50% off. click here for more details.

{update | feb 13th: the malia mills 'ohana sent over an exclusive $50 coupon just for h|h readers. enjoy the extra savings by mon, aug 31st.}

social wahines 2.0

danielle from social wahines recently sent along word that the group's new beta website has launched with the addition of an online social networking feature. it's like an über-exclusive facebook, an online pa'ina to meet new peeps and a way to help biz-minded island girls expand their empires.

the new features mean that sw is switching to paid memberships so, if you are already a member, you will need to re-establish your account to access all the good stuff including monthly networking events (at a discounted rate) plus member-only deals, message boards & much more.

annual memberships go for $65, however, to celebrate the new website, social wahines is offering h|h readers an introductory membership deal. it's on a sliding scale so the sooner you hele over and sign up, the more you save:

• $45 membership ($20 savings)
  secret code: swnov
  expires: sun, nov 30th

• $55 membership ($10 savings)
  secret code: swdec
  expires: wed, dec 31st

click rewind to learn more about social wahines.

p.s. once you register, please join the new h|h group on sw!