kealopiko - take two

hanai

since kealopiko was featured this past spring, their fan base has grown beyond the craft fair circuit to become favorites of up and coming island musicians like the girlas and paula fuga. and so, i am happy to report that kealopiko's long awaited online shop has finally opened its doors!

the new shop is stocked with tees emblazoned with kealopiko designs celebrating the many aspects of hawaiian culture from the natural world to reclaiming island history. no worries if, like me, you are not completely up to snuff with the meaning behind the message since each design is accompanied by a description to educate the wearer who can then share it with the rest of the world.

my fella will certainly be down with the message of the big five tee:

"This design challenges us to re-think who The Big Five really are: the first Hawaiian monarchs, not five business entities who managed to gain near total economic control of the islands in the early 1900's. It also reminds us of the phenomenal accomplishments of our kupuna and the legacy they have left for us to malama (care for)."

the big five

koae

readers of the male persuasion will be happy to know that all designs are stocked in both m's and w's sizes in a range of colors and textile choices. kealopiko is also committed to giving back to the community and donates a percentage of sales to island organizations like the kokua hawaii foundation and the paepae o he'eia fishpond.

queens candy shop remix

if streetwear is your thing, it's time to check out the recent arrivals (dimepiece, old baby doll, and the uk's nails did) at queens candy shop. yep, you read that right . . . our friends at the candy shop, honolulu's little indie emporium, recently remixed their name to better reflect their corner shop spot in kaka'ako.

the queens peeps have also recently introduced a kokua program which invites customer to donate 1% of their purchase to a local charity. the rotating list of non-profit picks includes honolulu habitat for humanity and the fashion programs at hcc and uh.

check out the official shop blog for the latest scoops.

{update | jan 2010: queens candy shop transformed its space into fresh café last year}

social wahines sample sale

just a little reminder that the first annual social wahines sample sale is set for tomorrow evening. due to popular demand, the event has been moved from the kaneohe yacht club to the mid pacific country club in lanikai.

participating designers include meleana handbags, pualani swimwear, polkadotreehouse, roberta oaks and noelani jewelry.

• when: tue, oct 16th - 6p to 10p
• where: lanikai room at the mid pacific country club
• tix: $10 at the door
• rsvp: danielle [at] socialwahines [dot] com

commuter mode

i spent some time at reform school last week and spotted this super cool hawaii 5.0 messenger bag compliments of freitag. the swiss company repurposes used truck tarps into practically indestructible accessories that can take more than its fair share of abuse from being constantly on the go.

and, since no two are alike, no worries about ever bumping into someone rocking the same design!

allison izu premium petite denim

the much buzzed about petite denim line created by allison izu nagato, the designer behind reincarnation, will make its highly anticipated debut tomorrow night. the premium denim collection has been crafted with petite frames (5'4" and under) in mind, with attention given to details like inseam length, proper knee breaks, pocket placement, and a figure flattering waistband.

the 2008 allison izu collection won't be in shops until next year, so the preview party is your best bet to get a firsthand peek and decide which styles make the cut.

• when: tue, oct 9th - 7p to 10p
• where: thirtynine hotel
• rsvp: me [at] allisonizu [dot] com