tamara catz 2010 sample sale

with sequins shimmying off the disco floor and onto fall 2010's must have style list, maui designer tamara catz is providing a few variations to woo closets hoping to acquire a hint of shimmer this season. new sequined arrivals include something for one and all from jaunty nautical stripes, minimalist racerbacks, and flirty minis.

although it's unlikely the new looks will pop up in this weekend's sample sale, pieces from the always lovely bridal collection will be in the mix. only in-stock merchandise is up for grabs so hele over early for first dibs!

10% of proceeds will be donated to the hawaii chapter of the susan g. komen foundation.

• when: fri, oct 29th - 9a to 7:30p | sat, oct 30th - 10a to 7:30p | sun, oct 31st - 10a to 6p
• where: 83 hana hwy, paia

isle style: designs by lo

boutique week seems so long ago but tahiti from green with envi continues to make me swoon with her beautifully photographed shop updates. one of my recent favorites are the upcycled leather clutches handcrafted by kamuela designer laurie edwards who hunts local rummage sales and consignment shops for material to remake into charming leather accessories.

everything from no longer loved leather jackets to discarded upholstery are fair game while the addition of rock-n-roll studs salvaged from cast aside belts transform the bits and pieces into crushworthy carryalls. and, since secondhand discoveries are reworked into new-to-you loveliness, no worries on crossing paths with the dreaded design dopplegänger!

clutches vary in style and color but are all priced at $60.

big island readers can scout designs by lo's recycled leather offerings at green with envi's waimea shop while off island friends are welcome to contact laurie via email to order direct. (fyi: leather earrings and cuffs are also available and priced from $36 and up).

{photo credit: 1+3/tahiti huetter}

project runway recap: the finale, part 1

andy south finale preview

in case you missed the first part of the project runway finale, here's a tardy peek of the three outfits oahu designer andy south presented to make his case as to why he deserved to compete at fashion week. the pleating details of his eleventh look (no. 2 above) was certainly impressive . . . especially considering it was whipped up in a jiffy during the not-quite-a-surprise final challenge.

and, were you just as delighted to see tim gunn make the drive out to the country to visit andy at his mom's home in waianae? (although, a note to the editors: the north shore signage leading into the segment was a bit bewildering considering the westside can claim its very own iconic stretch of sand. tsk. tsk.) with only six weeks to craft ten looks, half of which was spent waiting for handwoven custom silk textiles to arrive from laos, andy had mostly sketches to share during tim's home visit and just two weeks to prepare his entire collection before returning to nyc.

oh my.

alas, andy's bikini got no love from the judges who took the remaining four designers to task for failing to present a cohesive overview of the collections they hoped to show at fashion week. i'll await your comments to dish on the finale but will say that i am delighted to have correctly predicted the final three on facebook!

andy: make it work! | judgement day | video diary

click over to the designers dish for the long awaited introduction of the mutual admiration society.

of the trio of looks presented in the pre-finale, which designers piqued your curiosity enough to send on to fashion week?

{photo credit: barbara nitke, lifetime television}

project runway: we're in a new york state of mind

new york, new york! was the inspiration for the final project runway challenge. local designer andy south explored central park and sent a chic and edgy little black dress down the runway. textured panels stood in for both the park's architecture and cityscape hovering above the tree line while meandering pathways were reinterpretated into a sheer peekaboo back.

(although when gretchen described andy's dress as having a hint of madam, hotel street's disreputable past did pop into my mind briefly.)

on the upside, andy's technical talent continued to impress the judges although a few seemed to question the design connection to the great outdoors. mum's the word on the four designers who still have a chance to make it to the official fashion week roster, so hit the comments to dish on whether you agree with the judges' almost final elimination this week.

andy: make it work! | judgement day | christian siriano's take | video diary

click over to the designers dish for the inside scoop off the runway.

{photo credit: barbara nitke, lifetime television}

introducing manaomakani

it's an unfortunate fact that styles for the lads are few and far between in h|h's dressing room, so i was quite happy to find a note from manaomakani designer jamie makani aldaya in my inbox. a precursory peek at the handful of designs in the newly launched collection was a delightful discovery since the label mixes screenprinted and embroidered native hawaiian motifs on 100% certified organic cotton tees and jackets.

the socially responsible line is made in the usa which altogether is the practically elusive, almost impossible shopping triumph in our household. a win-win-win for the hubby's 808 tee collection, i say!

the design process is a bit more intricate since jamie, who was raised in the bay area and started manaomakani after a 30 year style career, looks to his native hawaiian ancestors for both inspiration and permission. the latter entails returning to the islands to offer chants and a pule (prayer) to the gods and then waiting for a sign before proceeding with each collection. he sought out windswept ka'ena point for the 2010 collection which honors native plants like koa and ohia lehua for their cultural value to the hawaiian people.

koa embellished tee

ohia embellished tee

organic french terry jackets

designs are screenprinted with water-based inks and the embroidered details add an eloquent flourish. price tag ranges from $44 for a tee to $110 for a hoodie (organic french terry = happiness!). for those used to fast fashion prices, it may sound a bit high for basics but remember there is a hidden cost of cheap, throwaway fashion from underpaid labor to a garment's environmental footprint (especially not cool when other countries' citizens must deal with the consequences to quench america's neverending desire for a closetful of disposable bargains).

manaomakani is also committed to the 1% for the planet philosophy and donates 1% of purchases to kahea, the hawaiian-environmental alliance.

a w's line is in the works and, fyi island shopkeepers, jamie is currently on the lookout for local retailers. the full line-up can be shopped online (knock 15% off with the secret code below) while sf readers can scoop up styles at aloha warehouse in japantown.

• secret code: HAPA15
• expires: sun, oct 31st

{mahalo jamie!}