aloha gillia!

while paging through the june issue of lucky, i was intrigued to find a summer getaway packing guide including a cheat sheet for hawai'i. all the expected fixings were featured . . . with the exception of any lucky love for local designers. to be fair, the suggestions were so travelers arrive at their destination with something suitable to wear, but my feathers remain slightly ruffled that faraway fashion editors continue to overlook all the style goodness being created in the islands.

one peek at gillia's lookbook may change their perception. every gorgeous offering is made with the pacific in mind with flirty silhouettes bound for your daily runway of playdates in the city and bonfires on the beach. style after style had me at hello courtesy of gillia's simple confections mingling bohemian details, breathtaking patterns, and a blush of color.

a stint at a waikiki boutique brought the ladies behind the label together who recently reunited when head designer saori suzuki returned from japan and reconnected with gillia co-founder mayo kawamura to launch the line. with design help from saori's sister yuko, the influence of the siblings' home country can be found throughout the restrained offerings which embrace the laidback lifestyle of the islands with a carefree cast of tropical must-haves.

get ready to sigh after the jump!

amengena robe

luxor halter dress

amengena romper

golden sands ruffle dress

in-the-know island lovelies started flocking to gillia since before its official june launch so online shop selections are a bit spare at the moment.

price tag falls between $116 for a tie-dye beauty to $238 for a slinky silk frock. if you covet a pacific pretty, your best bet is to hele over to your neighborhood stockist (including becca beach, guava shop & olive boutique). mayo tipped me off that summer 2011 deliveries are making their way around the islands this week and styles are expected to sell out as quickly as they arrive on the racks.

picking just one favorite look seems impossible at the moment . . . are you most smitten with the billowy gowns, cute rompers, or fetching tunics?

island crush: kama'aina kicks

kama'aina * lokahi * moloa hulu

this past winter, my mister insisted on rocking his slippers most weekends despite the chilly and rainy days blowing through the cali coast. slightly exasperated, i hunted down a pair of olukai's cozy shearling moloa hulu slip-ons to woo him on the occasional date when the weather gods (i.e. me) insist covered shoes would be more practical.

between the minimalist silhouettes and polynesian motifs, i found lots to love in the m's mauka collection which has been filled with stylish leather kicks for everyday since we last took a peek.

a little late for winter but perhaps something to consider for kama'aina papas this father's day?

$130 to $175 online + in-store. (fyi: my mister's moloa hulus were scooped up for 40% off here.)

p.s. since i have a tendency to run on hawaiian time, say aloha to the morning island crush which will allow my little finds to be shared in the p.m. too!

aloha friday scoop

sift through guava shop's style treasures during the one day sidewalk sale stocked with up to 40% off finds.

• when: sat, jun 11th - 10a to 6p
• where: 66-165 kam hwy, no. 4-4c, haleiwa

sprucing up your nest for summer guests? peek owens & co.'s floor sample sale album for super marked down furniture finds.

• when: 'til sold
• where: 1152 nu'uanu avenue, chinatown

local photographer rita coury is accepting keiki sign-ups for her get snap'n summer workshop featuring hands-on how-to's to help little shutterbugs compose the perfect picture.

• when: fri, jul 8th, 15th & 22nd - 10a
• where: tbd, oahu
• cost: $45

Click to read more ...

final boarding: sig zane x ito

. . . pop-up by interisland terminal . . .

hopefully, you are one of the lucky locals who met the sig zane 'ohana during their weeklong waikiki appearance talking story about how art, design, travel and the islands combine to influence the family of makers. if you call oahu home, the interisland travelwrights pop-up shop closes on sunday and with it your chance to scoop up limited edition offerings and other goodness (hello kites!) by the hilo label.

although distance is keeping me away (alas!), the story behind the ponoholo print debuting at ito makes me hopeful that it will become a permanent part of the collection. the starry skies that guided the native hawaiians during their navigations across the pacific are intertwined with a woven motif representing the ties that bind . . . from the canoes on which those long ago journeys were made to the connection of the zane 'ohana to their hometown.

happily, the interweb is filled with ito peeks so i gathered up a few to tempt you down to waikiki this weekend!

ito tee

hilo one duffle

ponoholo printing process

i love how screenprinting transforms a plain piece of fabric, and was delighted to discover interisland terminal posted a fascinating peek of the made in hawaii production process.

tonight, find out what sparked the creation of kuhao's art installation (6p to 8p), and remember a portion of sales from the ponoholo design benefit interisland terminal!

• when: now to sun, jun 12th
• where: waikiki parc hotel, 2233 helumoa road
• pop-up shop hours: daily, 11a to 7p
• fyi: free validated parking at hotel (valet only)

{photo credit: 1/2 - sig zane + 3/interisland terminal}

and the winner is . . .

anna of honolulu who will be wrapping herself up in organik goodness this summer!

mahalo to all my mateys who took a moment to try their luck and say hello. while there was only one goody bag to share, our friends at organik have lots of eco-friendly style to tempt you in their sirens & sailors collection filled with stripes and nautical themed designs along with new additions to the line's upcycled coffee sack carryalls. hooray for organic cotton, recycled poly (spun from recycled plastic bottles), and silky bamboo threads . . . all made in the u.s.a.

join me on deck for few summertime favorites after the jump!

skipperette

scuba * captain wheel

nautical flag

yoga bag * honu pack

if the looks you covet are missing in the online shop, bring your wishlist to your neighborhood stockist who, if you ask nicely, may be able to special order summer 2011 merch for you.

and, east coast readers will have a chance to meet organik's skippers when they sail up the atlantic later this summer (details soon in the aloha friday scoop).

happy congratulations anna!

{many mahalos to brian and ed for sharing some organik love with the h|h 'ohana!}