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).

weekly sales sheet

letarte * hazelnut cottage * soha

save $20 on every $100 purchased at the butik including new arrivals from fighting eel's fall 2009 collection.

p.s. enjoy 10% savings on all non-sale purchases under $100.

• when: fri, sep 4th to mon, sep 7th
• where: 1067 kapiolani blvd, suite a-3
• shop hours: fri/sat, 11a to 7p; sun, 12p to 5p & mon, 11a to 5p

update your space at fishcake and knock 25% off all designs (art and consignment excluded).

• when: fri, sep 4th & sat, sep 5th
• where: 307c kamani street, kaka'ako
• shop hours: mon to sat, 10a to 6p (closed labor day)

stop by olive and save 20% off all styles (island labels stocked: indah, jo.jah.jae jewelry & wings hawaii) including the sale rack!

• when: sat, sep 5th - 11a to 5p
• where: 43 kihapai street, kailua
• fyi: free parking round back

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introducing lovely clusters

today is usually reserved for etsy finds but instead i wanted to introduce you to lovely clusters, the recently launched, curated indie marketplace hosted by rachel of design lovely (based on maui) and vicki from simply hue. the idea for lovely clusters was the natural evolution of rachel's blog which is devoted to sharing a sweet fix of charming romantic finds (think anthropologie) discovered during her online wanderings.

as etsy and the many other online emporiums become crowded with sellers, it can be quite a time sap to click through page after page of possibilities searching for the perfect gem. luckily for those of us who swoon over pretty little things, lovely clusters edits out all the noise down to the most delightful handmade and vintage treasures. even better, you also have the option to fine tune your search by color or category which is how i found all of these lovely clusters-approved, island-inspired offerings.

designers interested in signing up will want to take a peek at the guidelines for more details. there is a limited complimentary listing plus a more expansive shop listing available for a small monthly fee. it does help to have an online shop, but if you need assistance setting one up, send a note to rachel who just happens to design websites during her day job.

p.s. be sure to click over to the design lovely etsy shop which is stocked with handmade note cards made by rachel.

gidget goes glam

the ever expanding offerings of swimwear designed in the islands seems to have a style for almost every look - sporty, luxe, sexy, sweet, and, with the introduction of 1979, retro pinup silhouettes with a vintage twist. with a fondness for a bygone era that slipped away as more people discovered paradise, designer suzanna kuhlemann jumped into the family business (sister pia helms soozou) to bring back a more demure sensibility to the islands' beaches.

no longer loved mu'umu'us and aloha shirts are rescued from closets to be transformed by suzanna and local seamstresses into 1979's vintage line which offers limited edition suits (only two or three are made per garment) that highlight curves like it was done way back when. the styles are sweet yet wearable and a happy find for anyone wistful for bikinis designed to leave a little something to the imagination.

for those not inclined to rock a vintage look on the sand, suzanna has followed up with two more collections after finding the challenge of designing with only a slip of fabric too irresistible. the signature lineup translates retro styles with textiles more readily available, while the focus of the nylon collection nips in curves with a higher waist silhouette and utilizes modern stretch fabric for more support.

more peeks below . . .

vintage looks

retro meets modern looks

a peek inside etown

1979 swimsuits are currently offered in sizes small, medium and large with xs and xl options expected shortly. custom swimwear orders are also welcome, and, happy news, you are invited to recycle your own vintage aloha wear into a new-to-you suit.

the vintage collection ($120) is available exclusively at mu'umu'u heaven's kailua flagship, and the signature ($149) and nylon ($129) lines will be making their debut at the opening of etown (shown above), the chinatown studio space shared by suzanna and pia, which will be welcoming one and all on first friday.

jewelry from meesah will also be in studio as will photography from deaja fallas and ethan boone.

• when: fri, sep 4th - 6p
• where: 1164 smith street, chinatown
• shop hours: tbd; check website for details

p.s. suzanna will be passing out 15% off coupons during the opening party so hele down and say hello!

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!