roberta oaks fall/holiday 2009

joe + sal

oahu designer roberta oaks' fall 09 collection completely skipped past my radar and, lo and behold, holiday 09 looks have already arrived online. this time around traditional plaid gets a playful, punk rock update in cotton flannel (love the happy turquoise!) which promises to keep you toasty when winter storms roll in while adding a little indie spirit to all your merrymaking.

roberta continues to stay true to her eco roots with organic cotton and bamboo/soy jerseys her go to textiles for day dresses made for everyday fun and flirty gowns destined for holiday romancing. and, a bohemian mix of animal prints and tie dye have found their way into the swim collection designed to make a bold splash at the beach.

marcela + kate

mod + lola

grey cat + tie dye

select fall 09 styles are currently on sale in the online shop where you can scoop up all of the looks featured above, or click over to the stockist list to locate neighborhood boutiques who also swoon for the honolulu-based label.

in other news, roberta will be welcoming friends and fans to her new studio space in chinatown on first friday with a grand opening bash!

• when: fri, dec 4th - 5:30p to 10p
• where: 19 north pauahi street, chinatown

p.s. a handful of looks have been marked down 40% (including the currently sold out revere dress in espresso) on 80's purple.

new peeks: stacia fall/holiday 2009

low-slung cardi

september may still be sweltering in hawaii and the west coast but fortunately more temperate weather is only a page flip away on the calendar. happy news for those of us who swoon for cozy knits! while the rest of the world may think hawaii is only about beach side playdates, readers who have ventured up to a chilly cliffside lookout, big island mountain town (hello volcano!) or upcountry maui know every island wardrobe needs a stylish cover to keep the chicken skin at bay.

i've written before of la-based label stacia designed by oahu girl stacy johnson and, after all this time, we finally had a chance to meet up during edwin ushiro's opening reception a few weeks ago (along with the lovely misa hamamoto who designs a gorgeous eponymous jewelry collection). we dished about the hawaii fashion scene and growing up in the islands while stacy and misa clued me in on the designer's take on bringing their collections to market.

with autumn approaching, it seems like a fine time to share stacia's fall/holiday 09 collection which is composed of luxe-y knitwear designed to complement warmer climates. stacy employs variations of lightweight jersey knits in an ever changing palette of multicolored space dye to flatter every figure. new for the season are stacia's ecoknits which blend bamboo and soybean (which she considers a cashmere substitute) sure to delight fashionistas on the elusive hunt for sophisticated and sustainable style.

more peeks below . . .

buttoned cowl * cocoon

willow

a peek inside the studio

island fans crushing on the new designs will have to click over to the online shop for more peeks at stacia's autumn offerings since, alas, only one hawaii boutique is currently posted on stacia's extensive stockist list. select styles are currently on sale so enjoy that little tidbit of consolation while you wonder when island shopkeepers will come a-calling.

fortunately for la la land residents, this past summer stacy opened the doors to her santa monica studio where customers are welcome to stop by and shop the latest looks. sign-up for the mailing list to be notified of in-house trunk shows and sample sales where you can scoop up past season designs at a deep discount.

• where: 1307 ½ pico blvd, santa monica
• fyi: by appointment only

p.s. stacy also maintains one of the best designer blogs around sharing her inspirations and insights on the evolution of a collection from color forecasting to the sketch pad to posting behind-the-scenes adventures from stacia photo shoots.

new peeks: lily lotus fall 2009

dragon v-neck

momi from lily lotus kindly sent along peeks of the yoga lifestyle label's gorgeous fall 09 collection recently. the honolulu line's mantra continues to keep the wearer's well-being in mind blending style with comfort so you can go from the studio to the street without any fuss.

this time around there's an abundance of goodness from the always popular karmic bling to cheeky new graphics and a sweet mendhi design in a charming nod to yoga's roots. for those who prefer to practice their asanas wrapped in more simplicity, autumn offerings also include stylish tanks and wraps cut from bamboo knit (naturally anti-bacterial) in a cozy palette perfect for autumn's approaching cool down.

more peeks below . . .

buddha is my omboy + gigi mendhi

bamboo racerback

bamboo wrap

in addition to bamboo, many of the designs are offered in eco-friendly 100% organic jersey and everything continues to be made in the usa.

fall 09 styles can be found in the online shop (u.s. orders over $100 receive complimentary shipping) as well as at one of the many neighborhood stockists. or hele over to the lily lotus boutique and say hello!

• where: 1127 12th avenue, kaimuki
• shop hours: mon to sun, 10a to 5p

{update | 2011: lily lotus has relocated over the ko'olaus and can now be found at kailua town center, 609 kailua road, suite 102}

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!

a minei makeover

the other week a shop announcement popped in my inbox heralding the arrival of minei, a new jewelry collection from the islands that remakes once loved castoffs into new'ish wearables complete with a soulful hippie chic charm. i later discovered that minei loosely translates (from hawaiian) to "me now" which seems to be a perfectly tailored description of the line's reconstructed heritage.

jewelry calls to me most when it has a story to tell and the mu'umu'u heaven 'ohana kindly put me in touch with designer katye killebrew who only recently discovered her talent as a bead mixologist. with only a few jewelry making classes under her belt and working with a cache of findings that followed her home from many adventures abroad, katye gifted her first creations to family & friends last christmas which later caught the eye of mu'umu'u heaven designer deb mascia during a chance meeting at the shop.

and so, the minei collection was born out of that unexpected but serendipitous moment. designs are guided by katye's finds in the jewelry boxes and junk drawers of friends plus the occasional goody bags that have been dispatched to her door. each one-of-a-kind piece hints of a little déjà-vu suggesting moments past that have been recaptured in the simple yet striking strands.

current offerings are limited to necklaces and bracelets ($49 to over $300) and katye also welcomes custom orders which is happy news for readers with an unrequited crush for more personalized adornment. your wish list can be matched with katye's collection of worldly charms or from your own treasure chest which would be a sweet way to remember a loved one, shower your wedding maidens with meaningful sparkle, or to modernize forgotten trinkets that need a style reboot.

the official website is still under construction however you can find minei's eco-friendly designs exclusively at mu'umu'u heaven's flagship boutique in kailua:

• where: 767 kailua road, suite 100
• shop hours: mon to sat, 10a to 6p & sun, 11a to 4p