new peeks: kealopiko ku collection

ke aloha aina

the lovely ladies behind kealopiko are definitely to be admired for their dedication in sharing the hawaiian culture with the modern world and their commitment to good design. i like to think of the descriptions that accompany all of their designs as continuing education . . . little histories which help folks (re)connect with their ancestry while clueing in kama'aina and others who may not have been immersed in all things hawaiian learn more about hawaii's native culture. more knowledge is always a good thing!

happily, kealopiko recently introduced their ku collection for spring 2010 and are showing more love for our 'aina by expanding the number of designs printed on organic cotton and eco-friendly fibers. one of the most striking designs is the ke aloha aina tee which mixes a variety of typefaces and serves as a printed reminder of the wearer's "deep love of the land":

"aloha aina is a very old concept . . . although it may change and adapt, it is a part of us that will never go away. we remain kupa‘a in our love for our place, which is challenged all the time by things that are not in the interest of the land or the people. more than a century of occupation may have produced a lot of confusion, but it can never break our aloha aina. so no matter what our different political persuasions might be, wherever we are on our journeys of learning, or wherever we find ourselves in the struggle, we must never forget our common bond of aloha aina."

in addition to tees and tops, pretty strapless dresses are now being offered which i suspect will be very popular this summertime. and, the kealopiko 'ohana also kindly shared a few of the custom looks created for one of the lucky wedding parties who have walked down the aisle wearing some of the most gorgeous designs for an island wedding.

aeo

lehua makanoe * lau amau & palai a kamapuaa

are you sharing my swoon over these lovely wedding looks from lauren and mason's wedding? the muted colorways are so pretty and this is certainly one of the most stylish ways to share the aloha spirit on such a happy day.

if you would love to order a custom design, be advised that kealopiko suggests a minimum of 8 weeks notice to conjure up something made just for you.

the ku collection is currently stocked in the online shop and you can find select styles at boutiques around the islands. oahu readers can also say hello to the kealopiko 'ohana during this weekend's e malama i ke kai festival:

• when: sat, may 15th - 10a to 3p
• where: kapiolani park bandstand, waikiki

{photo credit | lauren & mason's wedding: joanna tano photography}

beach peek: kikidoll

last fall, i happened across the kikidoll website which instantly intrigued me with a single photo (see below). soon after, a chat with designer kimberly "kiki" farmer uncovered that the new swimwear line would be officially launching in the new year so i patiently waited to post a show & tell until the full lineup was available for your enjoyment.

if you have been yearning for a sweet bikini for summertime, you will be delighted to discover kikidoll which offers beachwear infused with a palette of tropical pastels and darling patterns mixed with au natural trimmings (think mother of pearl, bamboo, and coconut shell).

a childhood spent splashing in the waters off waikiki combined with a lifelong love of vintage hawaiiana were the inspiration for kikidoll (a wink to the designer's keiki nickname). despite a family move to the mainland, kiki, who currently calls florida home, found herself reminiscing about the islands by sketching the very designs that would later become the gorgeous textiles featured in the debut collection.

every single style has been tested by kiki who assures me that, even in all their loveliness, her bikinis are designed for swimming and surfing in addition to sunning. pretty and functional - yay!

aqua shell balconette bikini & beachskirt

orchid bamboo beachskirt * mai tai bamboo bandeau

aloha kikidoll!

the original kikidoll sneak peek (above) - am i the only one swooning for this turquoise seashell sofa which is beach bungalow perfection? i think we may need to petition kiki to begin offering a textile line so that we can decorate our nests with her charming, ocean-inspired designs.

back on the beach, the luxury lineup features four-way stretch lycra, a hawaiian fit (described as an alternative to skimpier brazilian cuts), and are fully lined to avoid any peekaboo moments. and, happily, all the swimwear is made in the usa.

kikidoll's 2010 collection can now be scooped up in the online shop.

p.s. tying the knot? custom bikinis in bridal white and something blue can be ordered by brides planning an island honeymoon.

fighting eel bridal collection

sophia

today, i am happy to present a wedding day proposal from paradise compliments of fighting eel!

the honolulu label recently premiered its first ever bridal collection filled with lovely looks designed with the island bride in mind. designers lan chung and rona bennett have been working on this extension for quite some time digging through fe's style archives to find a handful of looks to revive in wedding day white (with one notable exception: the gorgeous new sophia, shown above).

the results are simply stunning. the entire beach-friendly offering is crafted in the same comfy jersey knit as fe's main line and special attention seems to have been given to small details like the view from behind as you step down the aisle. i suspect the clean lines will find plenty of fans in brides-to-be who dream of picture perfect style with a minimum of fuss.

more peeks below . . .

canoe

karma

loca

fiona * molly * lily * ziggy * sienna

also included in the new collection: fe's signature style in 15 silhouettes for your wedding maidens. the mix-and-match frocks offer plenty of versatility with three different lengths (short/tea/floor) and sixteen colorways available for quite a few possibilities to coordinate the wedding party's look. plus, your ladies-in-waiting will appreciate the chance to rock something wearable after the ink is dry on your marriage certificate.

budget conscious brides will also welcome the reasonable price tag (bridal: $175 to $250 & bridesmaids: $150 to $200). sizes range from xs to xl.

currently, the bridal collection is available by special order only at fe's showroom.

• where: 47 north hotel street, chinatown
• shop hours: mon to sat, 10a to 5p

p.s. enter to win a fe wedding gown and up to four bridesmaids dresses over at the star-bulletin (deadline: sep 25th).

sweet peek: cake works

chocolate hazelnut crunch

i was thrilled to discover that honolulu pastry chef abigail langlas took over the old mary catherine's spot last year. this exceptionally talented lady of cakes grew up baking away in her family's big island kitchen eventually leaving the islands for culinary school in england. an apprenticeship at the four seasons london followed then abi continued on to france to perfect her considerable confectionery chops before returning to hawaii to dazzle diners at alan wong's.

my first introduction to abi's delightfully decadent creations was through my wedding floral designer who insisted abi's cakes were not too be missed. intrigued, the fella and i immediately booked an appointment to meet the best kept sweet secret in town. at the time, abi spent her days as the pastry chef at the honolulu coffee co. filling the case with perfectly composed desserts and baking up wedding cakes on the side.

one bite of abi's chocolate hazelnut crunch cake (shown above) and we were both smitten. happily, she was game to indulge the mister's request to craft two layer petite cakes as table centerpieces (chocolate hazelnut crunch and green tea-rimisu, shown below). to this day, our wedding cake(s) still receive happy reviews from the foodies on our guest list.

green tea-rimisu

our petite & scrumptious wedding cake! (top right)

lucky for us, an impromptu visit to the bakery case to reminisce over bites of our wedding day confections has been an unexpected bonus. once upon a time that case was tucked in the back of the honolulu coffee co.'s ala moana outpost, however we finally found our way to cake works' new storefront over the summer and it looks like our little secret is finally out.

take a peek at the gallery of sweets at the official cake works website or stop by and say hello!

• where: 2820 south king street
• shop hours: mon to sat, 9a to 7p & sun, 9a to 6p

p.s. my own little wedding cake can be found in the online gallery (or in the photo collage above, top right corner). a very happy surprise!

sustainable soiree style

happy news for anyone who loves to flip through the party pages and gaze at the beautiful tableaus composed by the most stylish event planners. green honolulu relaunched its official website (designed by stacy from bradley & lily) last month and added a gorgeous event gallery which has taken a cue from the lovely inspiration boards that have become a must do on all the wedding blogs.

peek after beautiful peek takes you inside the most charming soirées to daydream about being the most fabulous host/ess or a guest lucky enough to score an invite where the little details include pretty parasols to protect partygoers from the sizzling hawaiian sun, the chance to be romanced under flower garland chandeliers, and lounging on comfy sofascapes beneath the starry sky.

gh's gallery inspired a little cut and paste action of my own to share a roundup of all the possibilities from the flowers to the settings to the small details.

more peeks below . . .

since social events can generate a lot of waste, avery solmssen, gh's proprietor & creative director, welcomes every opportunity to green client's parties including the recycling of all biodegradable materials, and has also been known to scavenge materials from reuse hawaii's lumber stash to build centerpiece boxes that have been transformed into planters post-party.

the company offers modern pieces big and small (including sofas, lamps and accessories) for rental, and when the show goes on the road, green honolulu does its best to keep all the elements from flowers to food as local as possible to help support the surrounding economy and avoid flying in stuff from off island.

click over to the green honolulu website to flip through the official gallery and to learn more details about booking their services for your next event.

{photo credit: top // chrissy lambert, shawn starr; middle // visionari, christiaan phleger & lexi mackenzie, dave miyamoto; bottom // christiaan phleger & lexi mackenzie, chrissy lambert, joanna tano}