hello honi honi!

while watching the oprah show finale yesterday, i had an a-ha moment about today's post during lady o's message of finding your calling. readers who have been following the wings hawaii story know how the line started in the mid-aughties with just a handful of screenprinted goods sold at first friday and the occasional craft fair. handmade jewelry soon followed and, after a move from honolulu to maui, their flagship boutique eventually relocated from its upcountry outpost to the buzzy boho charm of paia town.

the stars always have a way of aligning if you are lucky enough to discover and step down the path meant just for you, and it certainly seems like the universe is smiling upon becky, melody and sam with every little expansion of their indie empire. with the ocean only a few blocks from their shop, a swimwear collection seemed to be patiently waiting for a silhouette to be refined and given the wings stamp of approval. lo and behold, sam found a way to combine the effortless prettiness the label is known for while allowing ladies to hit the waves without hesitation.

while the first glimpses of honi honi arrived last year, the mix and match lineup recently welcomed new styles to celebrate its online debut this spring. handmade for mermaids who appreciate playful patterns and the versatility of reversability, racerback and criss cross tops joined the original bandeau offering which coordinate with bottoms cut to flatter yet leave just enough to the imagination . . . happy news if super flirty brazilian styles make you blush.

join me in the cabana for a peek, won't you?

polka dots * houndstooth

riviera * scales

it is so delightful to see three friends start with a small idea, embrace all the possibilities, and find success and lots of goodness along the way!

while you can expect patterns to change with the seasons, honi honi's bikinis and maillots are designed to fit lovelies of many sizes including curvier physiques. (sam noted that a large will fit up to a size 13 or a small d cup.)

meet your favorite swim look in the online shop or say hello to the wings 'ohana at their indie storefront:

• where: 71 baldwin avenue, paia
• shop hours: mon to fri, 9a to 4p & sat/sun, 9a to 1p

are you inspired to listen to those little whispers and say hello to a new adventure?

p.s. in addition to their design and shop duties, the wings 'ohana also publish inspire, a new-ish quarterly read covering local loveliness. find a copy at the shop or click over to facebook to peek pages from the latest issue.

morning crush: everheart paddle

more love for japan! everpaddle recently added the limited edition everheart design to its lineup of eco-friendly SUP offerings. made from reclaimed wood sourced on oahu, the heart-shaped bottom retains a little of its maker's soul with a hand inscribed "kokoro" (a japanese character embodying heart and spirit) illustrating the sweet friendship between faraway islands.

you cannot help but smile when picturing a little aloha traveling across the pacific to japan with every paddle through hawaii's splendid waves.

even nicer, $100 from each everheart paddle sale will be donated to global giving!

$295 online.

letarte 2011 collection

bermuda sands

as my facebook and twitter friends know, hautelook is in the midst of a letarte flash sale which served up a welcome reminder that a peek at the maui label's 2011 collection was long overdue. with the official lookbook by my side, the task of narrowing down my favorite offerings proved to be a challenge, but a hint of paia town was found in unexpected tropical camoflage, bohemian beadwork, and a blush of rainbow tiers echoing the colors that dance across the hawaiian sky.

aztec paisley

hawaiiana

hawaii five-o

hawaiiana rainbow

bermuda sands tunic

maui lovelies know the way to letarte's flagship boutique, but mainlanders who summer back east will be delighted that the nantucket pop-up just reopened its doors and is filled with island style from hawaii's shores.

• where: 24 baldwin avenue, paia
• shop hours: mon to sat, 9a to 6p & sun, 10a to 6p

p.s. you still have a few hours to hele over to hautelook and save 60% off last season's looks (including the aloha guitar print and feathers pattern featured last year) before the sale ends tomorrow morning.

morning crush: wave of aloha

because artist heather brown's new painting wave of aloha (created for japanese surf magazine blue's hope issue) is a sweet reminder that our kokua is still needed in japan. 

$1500 online. (100% of the proceeds will be donated to the japan red cross's disaster relief fund.)

new peeks: pua jewelry & pareu

 

hello hello! after my mister clocked seven straight 12-hour days, it was hard to resist the chance to spend time together so i hope you will excuse my absence over the past few days. one peek of the gorgeous new goodness by pua jewelry, and you will understand why i could not stay away for too long without sharing all the latest loveliness from one of my favorite local designers.

along with new shimmer, pua designer lauren hewett caldiero is also welcoming a most becoming addition with pretty pareu channeling low-key elegance and pure polynesian grace. inspired by both her own and her mom's extensive stockpile of pareu sourced from around the pacific, lauren enlisted her hubby (who just happens to be one of town's top chefs) to help transform squares of fabric into muted and sunny tie-dye while modern tropical prints taken from her sketchbook round out the offerings.

with so many readers sharing my crush over pua's line of handmade adornment, you will be delighted to learn that lauren and friend & fellow maker meleana have spent the past few months readying their very own atelier stocked with their collections of island girl sparkle, flirty pareu, and homegrown carryalls.

more looks to woo you plus studio details after the jump!

heliconia * shell & seaglass * seabird * skeleton

the online shop is in the midst of a makeover, but until it debuts you can peek all the new pua goodness over on facebook. or, hele over to becca beach at the kahala to scoop up your very own pareu.

and, happy news! lauren and meleana will be welcoming friends and fans during their official studio warming this weekend. say hello to the designers and shop all the latest loveliness while enjoying pupus, sweets and sips!

• when: fri, apr 8th - 5p to 8p & sat, apr 9th - 9a to 12p
• where: 949 mccully avenue, suite 12
• studio hours: by appointment only

p.s. the aloha friday scoop will be on hiatus since i am off to celebrate our dear friends' wedding this weekend. enjoy the april flowers!