obama-rama

it seems only fitting to post a spanking new roundup of obama goodness in anticipation of what will truly be a historic speech tonight (previous editions can be found here and here). did you ever think you would see a presidential candidate from hawaii in your lifetime let alone one who is hapa?

1 - it's a bird, it's a plane, it's a . . . barack obama action figure!

2 - obama tees are a dime a dozen these days but maart + mart's obama 08 design pops a subdued graphic punch.

3 - a handcrafted leather cuff is a stylish yet stealth way to show your support ($5 of each sale will be donated to the obama campaign).

4 - you may not have gone to punahou but you can still slip into a replica of the high school basketball jersey worn when obama was just a boy called barry.

and, if you still can't find a design to your liking, an official tee contest kicked off earlier this week with just days left to enter your submission before the aug 31st deadline. we the people will select the winning design so hele over and get your vote in (speaking of voting, surely you are already registered but here's a fun widget to remind your pals).

indah summer 2008

pilar

labor day is just around the corner so let's squeeze in a peek at indah's summer 08 collection before we officially say goodbye to the season. of course, the latest looks from bali-based designer (& kaua'i girl) libby de santis work year-round in the islands with its mix of softer silhouettes, vibrant batik patterns, and a return to old school tropical glamour.

giginala + rozy

i am also loving indah's take on tapa (traditional motifs with a dash of sweet little doodles) and patchwork (modern bohemian which also doubles as a skirt) from seasons past.

still no e-shop but the stockist list is filled with boutiques from the islands to the mainland with a few online possibilities (shop intuition has a nice selection) for those without a neighborhood boutique close by.

denise tjarks trunk show

if you missed indie handbag designer denise tjarks at the made in hawaii festival last weekend, you have one last chance to say hello and scoop up the remaining bags from her vintage meets tropical collection before she flies back to kaua'i.

head down to chinatown later today for a pau hana trunk show with denise compliments of hifi & hawaii red magazine:

• when: thu, aug 21st - 4p to 8p
• where: bar 35, 35 north hotel street

p.s. click over to the star-bulletin for a look behind-the-scenes with denise.

ahoy soozou!

nothing makes me happier than stylish and sustainable design. add a little homegrown production to help lift local women out of poverty and you have the makings of one of my favorite new companies to hit the pages of h|h for quite sometime.

the idea for soozou, a line of handcrafted bags made from recycled sails, came to honolulu designer pia kuhlemann while she was playing around with making a surfboard bag as a birthday gift for her sweetie. she hatched the idea for using sails, which are both durable and water-resistant, at the end of its life cycle after recalling the repurposed bags made from old sailcloth that had become popular in her hometown back in hamburg.

the surfboard bag never got made but prototypes for what would become soozou proved to be the opening pia was looking for to start her own business. the former art director now spends her days cutting bag patterns by hand to best reveal the unique graphics of each recycled sailcloth and bring hints of past voyages to life. the sturdy totes are then customized with silkscreened designs, decorative stitching, grommets, and rope straps befitting its nautical past.

but it's the next chapter of soozou's story that really sets it apart since pia, with the help of a friend, helped launch an economic development program at the kokua kalihi valley health center to keep sewing production of the bags in the islands. it's a win-win situation with participants in the program receiving job training while keeping it local reduces soozou's environmental footprint and adds a little economic stimulus to the community.

alas, the online shop is currently low on stock (price point ranges from $98 to $225), however you have a chance to scoop up some soozou of your own during the official launch party friday night:

• when: fri, aug 22nd - 6p to 9:30p
• where: thirtyninehotel, 39 north hotel street

or, stop by soozou hq (inside tadpole studios) to take a peek:

• where: 1160 smith street
• shop hours: wed to fri, 12p to 6p

p.s. pia is always on the lookout for used sails. divert yours from the landfill and onto the shoulders of the islands' style set and, in exchange for your donation, you will receive a soozou bag made from your very own sail.

{via green fashion hawaii}

{update | feb 2010: soozoo can now be found in its new studio space, etown, located at 1164 smith street in chinatown}

made in hawaii festival sneak peek

with the made in hawaii festival set to open its doors tomorrow, it's time for this year's peek of edited picks to keep an eye out for as you navigate the blaisdell this weekend:

1 - stock up on soap box hawaii's elegantly wrapped handcrafted soaps and keep a stash of thoughtful hostess gifts on hand.

2 - tropical accessories from the rare orchid have been spotted in the pages of real simple and are just the thing to pretty up your office space.

3 - coconut, kona coffee and butterscotch are just a few of the flavors to be found at island nut roasters (and further proof that a good photo is worth a thousand words).

4 - the i ku mau mau! design from hilo's the hawaiian force is just one from their tee collection which highlights the values and history of the islands' native culture.

 

5 - spice up your next meal with one of the many blends of organic seasonings from aloha spice company.

6 - stop by lynn's treasures and order a custom hand stamped necklace for mom.

7 - the hawaiian vanilla company made their name proving that vanilla beans could be grown in hawaii and now the homegrown bean is the inspiration for their new bath and body line.

8 - artisan francisco clemente reveals both gorgeous organic shapes and an inner glow in his handcrafted woodturned bowls.

be back later with a roundup of festival specials from a few h|h faves that will be making an appearance at the show!