modern wedding papers

hibiscus

brides on a budget coveting stylish invites typically have two options:

1. diy (and hope for the best)
2. beg a friend with graphic design chops to take pity on you and work their magic pro bono

a brilliant alternative is a site i stumbled upon the other day which boasts exclusive designs by some of the most sought after invitation designers, including hawaii's own kinohi designs (shown above), but with budget friendly prices.

all the paper elements necessary to throwing a memorable bash are available and most, if not all, designs come in a limited palette to help you coordinate invite colors to your event. designs tend to lean modern (with a nice selection to celebrate an island wedding) and there are a number of handy tools to streamline the ordering process.

canna

modern initials

since you can personalize text however you please, cards can easily double as party invites for those times when an evite just won't do. thank you cards can also pull double duty making either a lovely gift for the newlyweds or a sophisticated addition to your social stationary (the last issue of domino declared custom stationary is simply a must for grownups. i wonder if personalized post-it notes count?).

take a peek at wedding paper divas for more.

bliss lau fall 2007 collection

bijou

nyc-based designer bliss lau is out with her fall 07 collection. many of her exquisitely crafted leather goods mix autumn's must have rich hues (think purple, scarlet & navy) with shapes reminiscent of the islands. the bijou features an organic palm frond silhouette while the flora clutch sports an eye catching hawaiian quilt inspired cut out in which to slip your hand.

the truly fashion forward must take a peek at the latest incarnation of jewelry designed by bliss that can be worn traditionally or as a bold layering piece wrapped around your body.

flora clutch + arm candy

an edited selection of the fall collection is available online or, if you prefer an in person peek, stop by riches kahala & queens candy shop (a stockist list is also posted on the website).

fyi - lucky nyc scores their very own private sale later this week:

• when: thu, oct 4th - 6p to 10p
• where: 204 elizabeth street ll (btw prince/spring st)
• fyi - cash only

nalu kai lodge

you may have heard that maui's recent crackdown on vacation rentals has reduced the available inventory of affordable accomodations for visitors on a budget. if you refuse to shell out resort rates and are not one for early morning b&b chit chat with strangers, paia's nalu kai lodge may be an alternative.

the 60's style property has been renovated and rooms now feature a cottage style complementing it's fresh boutique lodge vibe. if you prefer a little more space, there is also a one bedroom apartment with a full kitchen that would be perfect for a family traveling with a little one.

you can walk to paia town & the beach, soak in the ocean view from the deck, or have a cookout at the outdoor bbq/tiki bar. keep in mind that it is a vacation rental so do read the fine print regarding cancellation and deposit policies before booking. even so, rates are a bargain and start at $99 on the weekend and includes free wi-fi.

no reviews yet on tripadvisor so if you book a stay do post a trip report.

wanted: 808 designers

the social wahines will be throwing their first sample sale on oahu next month and organizers have posted a call for designers who would like to participate at the oct 16th event. email danielle [at] socialwahines [dot] com for more details.

in other style news, earlier this year, the hawaii fashion incubator (aka hifi - love the acronym!) was created to showcase & nurture the emerging local design community. they are still in the start up phase and plans include workshops, trade shows, fashion week & more good stuff to raise the profile of the hawaii fashion scene.

hifi is on the lookout for designers interested in showcasing their work on the soon to launch hifi website, experienced instructors to teach fashion 101 classes in patternmaking, sketching and garment construction, and everyone else who would like to be a part of the hifi fashion mission.

the organization's official coming out party will be at f.a.c.e. of nuuanu next month, and if you would like to volunteer behind the scenes or find out details on booking a booth, email toby [at] polkadotreehouse [dot] com.

until the website makes its debut, click over to hifi's myspace page to stay in the loop.

{update | sep 30th: hifi's website is up & running! [mahalo jana!]}

weekend sales sheet

fashionista's market

it's the final two days to score 40% off select styles by nike, converse, vans & bittersweet at kicks/hi.

• when: today & sat, sep 29th
• where: kicks/hi - ward + makaloa
• fyi - all sales final

p.s. an edited selection of the latest kicks/hi designs are now stocked in their online shop.

fashionista's market is back this weekend with a stash of styles up to 80% off retail. scoop up harajuku lovers, bcbg, frankie b, ed hardy, genetic denim, indah & more. read the f.a.q. before you go.

• when: sat, sep 29th & sun, sep 30th
• hours: 10a to 2p
• where: japanese cultural center - 2454 s. beretania street
• admission: $7 (register online to score the $3 fm member price)

shasa emporium is celebrating its 5 year anniversary with a sunday night bash. there will be an in-store sale, live dj, pupus and prizes galore from local designers alliway, indah, ginger13, grumpy girl & many more. must rsvp today to get on the list (details below).

• when: sun, sep 30th - 5:30p to 8:30p
• where: kahala mall
• rsvp: shasahi [at] lava [dot] net or 808.735.5122