akane pret-a-porter collection

just a quick update to let those of you who have been coveting akane's super cute bloomers that you can now snap up a pair on ebay since the candy shop is teaming up with its sister company, wst4u, to sell akane goodies online.

in a unique twist, akane designer zana tsutakawa is also posting photos of her new prêt-à-porter collection based on where each style is stocked (click on the store name to see photos). in addition to the candy shop, akane's spring line is available at 808 skate, hic & ma honolulu.

by the way, if you haven't heard of the candy shop then get yourself down to their kaka'ako store which is stocked with diy fashion from the islands and around the world. i didn't have a chance to squeeze in a visit last month but it sounds like an ingenious & much needed collaboration to give emerging designers a space where a wider audience can discover them. and no worries if you are not on oahu since the candy shop's ebay store will offer the latest indie finds from time to time.

learn more about the candy shop and its mission to bring indie design to the islands here and here.

a day in the life of stacia

escape hoodie

growing up in hawaii definitely left its mark on designer stacy johnson who after graduating from parsons refined her design aesthetic at calvin klein, cynthia rowley & j.crew. a few years back she launched her own collection, stacia, with a boutique in brooklyn which was shuttered when her family decided to make their way to the sunny surf of california.

to keep customers' closets stocked, an online boutique made its debut filled with stacia's space dyed knits (or, as stacy calls them, sweatertees) which evoke the effortless style of california and hawaii. it's vintage surf culture meets the kaleidoscopic patterns of missoni.

oasis babydoll + bungalow wrap

the lightweight pieces are perfect for layering and range from everyday hoodies to the ever versatile wrap dress. while the line is stocked around the country, stacia is m.i.a. at island boutiques so you will have to work your mouse if your laidback lifestyle can't do without a little stacia (and don't forget to hit the sale section).

learn more about stacia at stylemaven.

modern luxury hawaii

there is new lifestyle/travel glossie in town and its name is modern luxury hawaii. the quarterly magazine is aiming to fill a niche by targeting cosmopolitan kama'aina and jet setters who love food, fashion, good design & vacationing in the islands with style.

while i was home i tracked down a copy at borders and discovered an absolutely gorgeous magazine filled with editorials on what to do & where to go, handy dining/shopping/spa guides, features on notable locals (the premiere issue spotlighted momi from lily lotus!) and, my favorite part, the stunning photography. the hefty premiere issue weighs just a tad under three pounds since, instead of publishing separate editions, mlh
opted to print one side in english and the other side in japanese.

fyi - i did spot complimentary issues at pacific home (after i bought my copy. darn.) so keep your eyes peeled at shops catering to mlh's demographic (or you can always subscribe online).

kicks/hi x sig zane = (red)

the most anticipated island collaboration of the year is finally making its debut tomorrow. yep, after all the waiting kicks/hi + sig zane release their spin for the (converse) red collection on saturday. it's so cool to see local designers getting involved in the (product) red campaign and getting some well deserved exposure and a little media love.

in case you didn't catch bono kicking off the campaign on oprah last year, red is all about raising funds to help fight the aids epidemic in africa by giving you, the consumer, a painless way to shop a tad more consciously.

basically, whenever you choose to snap up limited edition red chuck taylors/ipods/razrs/etc over the standard issue, the participating company donates a portion of sales from that product to the global fund which is fighting the good fight by purchasing life saving medication that our fellow world citizens would otherwise not be able to afford.

the kicks/sz converse design features a handprinted 'uluwehi keaukaha print (in honor of the tree planted on son kuhao's first birthday) and is only available in men's sizes 5-13 (including half sizes; fyi - for the uninitiated, chucks are a unisex style so refer to the size chart to determine the corresponding w's size). there will also be a baseball cap in the same colorway.

no doubt these are going to be very popular considering there will be competition between sneaker collectors, converse fans, and folks who want to support local designers so remember that they will only be stocked at the following locations (in addition to the sz online shop):

• hilo: sz shop & the cutlery | honolulu: kicks/hi - makaloa shop | wailuku: sz shop
• chicago: saint alfred

fighting eel spring/summer 2007

spring 07 adara + summer 07 paris

spring is getting closer which means more wearable dresses to covet in the new collections from fighting eel. i am loving the empire waist and clean lines of fe's adara dress. of course, if you prefer something slightly more provocative take a peek at what's in store for those sultry summer evenings . . .

no online shopping at fe's website yet however click over to active endeavors, lalala or rafael hawaii to shop to your heart's content.

or, even better, friday brings a one day sale at fe's chinatown headquarters with pieces from past collections marked down to $30, $50 & $70!

details:

• when: fri, mar 2nd - 10a to 6p
• where: fe headquarters - 47 north hotel street
• fyi: cash only!