fighting eel spring 2011

hippie

by far my favorite red carpet moment on oscar night was the tie-dye ball gown designed by christian siriano discovered during the pre-show marathon. i was immediately reminded of fighting eel's spring 2011 collection filled with carefree bohemian loveliness rocking a modern day riff on the wardrobe staple found inside any good hippie's closet.

from a swoon-y goddess maxi to floaty tops, i just love how designers lan chung and rona bennett have put their spin on the tie-dye trend. the abstract swirls and artful splatters are grounded by this season's palette of smoky neutrals brightened by the occasional pop of color making each piece a striking complement when paired with the style essentials.

see if you agree with more of my favorite spring looks after the jump . . .

olsen

richie * taylor

spring 2011 has not yet arrived in the online shop, so hele over to your neighborhood stockist or fe's gorgeous chinatown flagship:

• where: 1133 bethel street, chinatown
• shop hours: mon to sat, 10a to 6p

factory girl: jana lam textiles

you may know by now that i swoon for textiles so i was quite delighted when sandra from super citizen tipped me off on a new arrival to her shop. one peek at the gorgeous goods by honolulu designer jana lam, and i instantly set out to learn more about the maker of these fetching hand-done backdrops.

jana recently returned home to hawai'i after studying interior design at the academy of art in san francisco (with a career detour to nyc beforehand). after gifting her wedding party with handmade pillows and a serendipitous meeting with sandra, a plan was hatched to introduce an accessories line requiring a crash session in sewing and pattern making.

the lovely results speak for themselves. many of jana's patterns are grounded in nature, and the tropical motifs are noteworthy for their modern and organic take on traditional island florals and fauna. a hint of the approachable appeal of lotta jansdotter, one of my favorite textile designers, also carries through jana's collection. good company indeed considering the number of compliments my lotta tote receives whenever it accompanies me on jaunts back home to the islands!

join me for a peek after the jump . . .

fiesta flowers clutch

sea flowers * stream * happy snails * fishes dream

pillows!

sketches making the cut are carefully silkscreened by hand with jana and her mom sewing each and every handbag and pillow.

price tag starts at $42 for a small clutch and goes up to $125 for a roomy baby bag.

online ordering will be launching soon, but until then find selections from the debut collection at super citizen in chinatown and riches at kahala mall.

{mahalo sandra!}

morning crush: heather brown x matsumoto

happy anniversary!

i'll take one rainbow with ice cream, please! for all the matsumoto shave ice fans, the iconic haleiwa landmark recently enlisted artist heather brown to design their super cute 60th anniversary tees.

m's and w's styles offered in a handful of colors.

$17 online + in-store.

aloha rag spring/summer 2011

w's m65 jacket * baker cargo pants

with fashion week in full swing, it seemed only appropriate to gather up a few looks from aloha rag's spring/summer 2011 collection. tatsuga yoda, aloha rag founder and creative director of the house label, tailor made each piece for happy-go-lucky days in the sun and sand complete with vintage americana details like a whimsical jacket lining constructed of the iconic paisley bandana.

you may notice that a few styles overlap in the m's and w's collections, but the unisex looks have been carefully refitted to compliment a feminine silhouette. and happy news! this season the ladies score their very own edition of the popular m65 military jacket with playful custom designed pink zippers.

isn't it lovely?

more mellow memories after the jump . . .

crewneck sweatshirt * hooded parka

m's seersucker jacket

paisley buttondown & arhi tee

aloha rag's denim line also debuted this past winter and features classic silhouettes made in the always coveted japanese denim.

all styles are made in japan with the price tag for ss11 starting at $215. and, if you fancy high style for less, most fall 2010 looks are currently on sale.

hit the online shop for the complete 411 on the new m's & w's collections, or hele down to the honolulu and nyc storefronts:

• 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 thu & sat 11a to 7p | fri 11a to 8p | sun 12p to 6:30p

do you have any pieces from aloha rag tucked inside your closet?

kung hee fat choy!

with the arrival of chinese new year, all the rabbits reading this, especially metal rabbits, will be delighted to peek sig zane's mama tu tees just issued for 2011.

$20 (keiki) to $28 (mama & papa). in-store & online.

p.s. if you follow the stars, here's the forecast for the year of the rabbit.