weekly sales sheet

rockabella jewels + mu'umu'u heaven

a few last minute shopping ideas for mother's day . . .

two days left to save 25% off your favorite design when you swing by the fighting eel showroom (in-store only; click over to the online shop and save 15% off your shopping cart including summer arrivals with the code below).

• when: today to sat, may 9th
• where: 47 north hotel street, chinatown
• shop hours: mon to sat, 10a to 5p

• secret code: mothersday09
• expires: sat, may 9th

hele over to so'mace to shop a delightful assortment of design goodness and enjoy 20% off all accessories, pillows and artwork.

• when: today to sat, may 9th
• where: 1115 young street, honolulu
• shop hours: mon to fri, 10a to 6p & sat, 10a to 3p

tell the shopgirls at the butik the best thing about your mom &/or motherhood to knock 15% off your entire purchase!

• when: today to sun, may 10th
• where: 1067 kapiolani blvd, suite a-3, honolulu
• shop hours: mon to sat, 11a to 7p & sun, 12p to 5p

Click to read more ...

all about umee

oahu designer deena white may have only arrived in the islands a few years ago, but she knows all too well the dilemma of standing in front of the closet without a thing to wear for a tailor-made day in paradise.

last summer, the designer-to-be began drafting her style wish list of pieces that would complement her biz-y lifestyle, and in only a year's time the umee label (named after her japanese grandmother) went from a simple sketch to a stylish start-up.

the recently debuted capsule collection is comprised of classic silhouettes with just a hint of pleats, ruffles, and other feminine flourishes inspired by hawaii. pieces have been thoughtfully designed to transition from work to after hours fun with little fuss which is sure to be a happy find for readers who fancy a polished look for the office still pretty enough to go on a pau hana play date.

deena has even given the lbd an island makeover with the introduction of umee's little black muu muu (shown above) which i suspect will become both a style staple for homesick kama'aina and a favorite island holiday souvenir.

more peeks below . . .

ruffle strap + strapless dress

pearly plumeria + little black muu muu

since deena was once an island bride herself, a bridal collection is currently in the works with the possibility of made-to-order frocks on the drawing board to help brides-to-be coordinate the look of their wedding party.

and, in other news, keeping production local was a priority and i am happy to report that the entire umee lineup is made in hawaii!

currently, the online shop is the only click you need to know to add a little umee to your wardrobe (with free shipping on all orders at the moment), however you can be among the label's first patrons during this weekend's mom and you trunk show hosted by hifi:

• when: sat, may 9th - 2p to 4p
• where: the contemporary museum, café lawn
• fyi: enjoy a pre-sale tea for two at the café (reservations recommended)

family affair

a little last minute mother's day gift idea inspired by a sweetly scented potion crafted by two keiki and a fresh alternative in a world filled with factory made fragrances. while many readers will be wooed by maoli perfumes' fragrant promise of a "spray of sunshine" conveniently packaged in a glass bottle, the story of how this wee perfumery came to be may prove even more irresistible.

let's rewind to 2007 when the hughes 'ohana left hawaii for the rainy northwest and the resulting homesickness of sons kai and kalani who instantly missed the islands and its distinctive blend of sandy surf, tropical blossoms, and all around hawaiian goodness. mom mari decided to utilize her aromatherapy background to introduce her sons to the science of scent via a home study assignment exploring the formulation of natural perfumes.

two budding alchemists were quickly revealed and, after a few attempts, the brothers concocted a balmy elixir with notes of mexican wild lime, orange blossoms, pikake, ka'u gold oranges, and vanilla. the lesson book had barely closed when mainland friends began inquiring about the sweet scent worn by the brothers as a reminder of their island home, and so, quite unexpectedly, their next assignment was hatched.

fast forward to the present and the family has redefined homework with kai and kalani mixing and labeling batches of their island blend while dad helps out with the graphics/website and mom keeps everything running behind-the-scenes from ordering supplies to bottling, shipping, and marketing maoli's keiki-inspired scent.

although maoli's first offering, colonia dulce (a nod to mari's spanish heritage), was originally created with a younger audience in mind, sensitive grownup noses will appreciate that the eau de cologne is blended with certified organic essential oils, is free of synthetic components, and tested on humans not animals.

even better, the project includes a lesson in paying it forward with a portion of purchases donated to organizations like malama hawaii, heifer international, the shea project, and women for women international.

currently, maoli perfumes can only be found in its online shop so click over and enjoy free shipping on your order!

p.s. request a complimentary sample here.

weekly sales sheet

luxe link * jools * lanikai b&b

a friendly reminder: just one week to go until mother's day!

join fashionista's market for a mini spring clearance sale complete with designer denim from $20 to $88 (frankie b, paige premium denim, rock & republic, & more) plus 10 to 50% off all new style arrivals.

• when: sat, may 2nd - 12p to 5p
• where: blaisdell center, hawaii ballroom
• fyi: free admission!

hele over to kailua and save 20% off your entire lanikai bath & body purchase this weekend (in-store only; online offer ends today).

• where: 600 kailua road, suite 119, kailua
• shop hours: m-f, 10a to 6p | sat, 10a to 4p | sun, 10a to 3p
• secret code: lanikai
• expires: fri, may 1st

on a budget? click over to jools and save 20% off all handmade adornment in the sale section.

• secret code: sale20
• expires: sun, may 10th

p.s. scoop up $49 worth of goodies and score free shipping!

Click to read more ...

fighting eel summer 2009

fia

no matter what your style may be, there is definitely a little something for everyone in fighting eel's summer 09 collection. designers rona bennett and lan chung looked to their passports for inspiration and returned with sketchbooks filled with ideas for summer staples perfect at home or wherever your next destination takes you.

this time around the jersey knits incorporate gorgeous details from dainty ties to peekaboo cutouts in dress hemlines that go from abbreviated to sweeping. the bohemian batik embellishments are a memento from rona's travels to bali while the juicy colorways are a happy reminder of lan's time spent exploring italy's amalfi coast.

more peeks below . . .

tiki

riri

mele

lei

although the summer looks are not yet stocked in the online shop, they have started to arrive at fe's network of neighborhood stockists or stop by the label's chinatown showroom for a peek:

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

p.s. select styles from the 2008 collections can be found at bluefly for 40% off.