By Nadine Kam

Nadine Kam photos
Ashley Layfield is the Spanish jellyfish in “Atlantika.”

Iona Contemporary Dance Theatre presented its splashy fundraiser “Atlantika” Saturday night at the Kahala Hotel & Resort, an event guests won’t be forgetting anytime soon.

Guests followed a procession of mermen, draped in blue veils, into the pool area where they were greeted by the spectacle of dancers reimagined as sea creatures, from a mermaid and feathery anemone at the entrance, to a towering sea dragon on stilts and covered with yards of streaming fabric. This may be one of Iona’s most elaborate events ever, the vision of creative director Cheryl Flaharty.

Among the guests was Henry Ian Cusick (that’s Desmond to non-”Losties”). Many of the guests dressed in blues, greens and other aqua tones to suit the night’s theme, so it didn’t surprise me that some of those I photographed at the beginning of the event ended up in the pool at the end of the night. I was just praying I didn’t end up in the pool by accident while running around the pool to shoot video. I was only sorry that I didn’t capture the moment the guests made their running leap into the pool. I had overheard them plotting, but thought they’d wait until after dessert.

Among those who ended up in the pool was Kenwei Chong, who also tried to get Cheryl into the pool. Dressed in white, she wisely ran for shelter.

Others inched closed to the pool and its warm water when presented with windup toys, that swam away, sometimes too far for them to reclaim, causing much sadness among the big “kids.”At a typical event, I might shoot 20 video clips, but because of the costumes and because the dancers move so well, I ended up with 66, a lot to go through.We were treated to s sound track of bubbly and psychedelic music of the ’60s by DJ Julien Palmarini. Hair, including Summer Partlon’s towering Octopussy beehive, was by Dack Quigley. Meanwhile, the part of the Ethereal Jellyfish, in white in the video, was played by the Star-Bulletin’s Michelle Poppler, who I totally didn’t recognize while shooting the video, even though she was an inch away from my face!

Rain arrived with dinner, sending some guests running for cover, which was weird, this being a water-themed event and all, but I had no doubt that in sunny Kahala, it would pass quickly, and it did, just a light blessing.

Food — such as sea critter fritters (baccalao) and pan-roasted kampachi with sea foam, mussels and clams — was rather slow to arrive and Cheryl said later, while toasting marshmallows beachside, that they had trouble getting started because no one seemed to want to sit down. Everyone was too busy strolling around, admiring the dancers and their extravagant costumes, photographing and videotaping all that was happening.

It was great fun an you can read the who’s and why’s about the event in my earlier story at http://archives.starbulletin.com/2008/08/21/features/story01.html

And original blog post at: http://blogs.starbulletin.com/fashiontribe

The living fountain, Robyn Franklin. Read the rest of this entry »

By Nadine Kam

There are so many new cosmetic products delivered daily that it’s difficult to try them all to determine what works best. It’s great that stores like Sephora allow us to sample formulas, textures and color, and makeup counters at other stores also allow sampling with many ops for a makeover.

Faced with hundreds and hundreds of new products and colors, I tend to get overwhelmed, but here are a few things that work for me:

I mentioned Make Up For Ever Eye Seal in the print edition today. It’s not sexy, but this provides one way to get the clean, finished look you see in magazine ads. It’s lightweight but works like a glue to hold color to your eyelid. Pat some on and dab on your shadow in layers that stay true to the color you see in the pan. A little on your liner brush will also transform your shadow into a liner. It’s especially essential if you like mineral or glitter shadows that tend to scatter and fly everywhere on your face. It’s $20 at Sephora.

I like a glow that looks as if it’s coming from within your skin rather than sitting on the surface. Benefit’s Posie Tint ($28) is a pink transparent stain that you can rub in a thin layer over your cheeks for a light, natural-looking flush. My skin is really pale, so I can’t take colors much darker than this. I don’t know how well it would work with darker skin, but it seems to me, with the right primer, it could work. You can find all Benefit products at Sephora and Macy’s.

Before the rest of your makeup goes on, it’s important to wear sunscreen. Dr. Zein Obagi’s ZO Skin Health Oclipse Sunscreen + Primer SPF 30 does several jobs in one, protecting against UVA/UVB sun damage with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide; moisturizing; repairing skin with lipopeptide and vitamin E; and priming the skin with silicone to give makeup a smooth, even finish. It appears to have a slight tint as well, making your skin look good enough to do away with foundation if you have the confidence to walk out the door with a nearly naked face. Set with powder and you’re good to go. It’s $85, exclusive in Hawaii to Nordstrom.

Giorgio Armani Beauty’s Lip Wax compact lipsticks are amazing, delivering saturated color in a formula that’s so smooth and light you barely feel it. It’s not sticky, gooey, wet or all those unpleasant things. For a “wax,” it doesn’t even feel waxy. It is also neither too matte nor too glossy, making it look chic and modern. Use your fingertip to blot on a thin layer for a blush of color, or use a lip brush for a precise, dramatic lip. If you wear no other makeup, this will give you maximum polish with no work at all. This being from Armani, the colors are no-brainers. Even if you don’t trust yourself, the selections have been edited down to flattering, easy-to-wear hues.

I’m pretty sure men will like it too, because we always hear how they hate to kiss gooey, overglossed lips. I even know men who are just plain frightened of women with overdone, overlined lips. The compacts are $26; exclusive in Hawaii to Neiman Marcus.

Pores seem invisible on childrens’ skin, but somehow start growing into deep chasms during teen years. For this there is spackle for the skin, like Clarins Lisse Minute or Instant Smoother ($28), one of the brand’s Instant Beauty Perfectors. Instructions tell you to lay it down before applying makeup, but to avoid heavy layering, I just spot dab it where there are major potholes, a remnant of childhood chicken pox. This melts onto skin and smooths areas that look and feel like our city streets. It amounts to filling in your pores, so make sure you wash thoroughly when using such products. Find it at Nordstrom.

I see a pattern with my faves in seeking lightness and ease. Would love to know what works for others. Also, the biggest news lies in mascaras, but I’m still trying them out. There are so many considerations with mascaras, including the look you’re going for, like Urban Decay’s Big Fatty Mascara ($19) will deliver a thick, high-impact lash. I guess I’m looking for the ultimate defining, curling, smudgeproof, waterproof formula for lashes that normally head straight south.

By Nadine Kam

Nadine Kam photos
A peek inside the Marciano boutique, which opened this morning at Royal Hawaiian Center.

Ventured into Waikiki this morning for a peek inside the newly open Marciano boutique, the first in Hawaii, at Royal Hawaiian Center.

The brand is known for glamorous, sexy clothing, and a spot check on prices revealed dresses at about $188 and tops starting at $40. The palette is strong on red, black and hunter green and there was also a selection of lace tops suitable for the soon-to-arrive holidays. Just thought I’d remind you of those. Somehow, the span between October and December always feels condensed, and always a fine time for a little stress relief, which brings me to:

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An ahhh! moment: Agasa Yamana, left, and Reiko Tokushige Rogers, CEO and Executive Producer of Studio Rim Hawaii, Inc., relax in the women’s lounge at Moana Lani Spa. Or, try to. Reiko is recording her thoughts about the palatial spa.

The Moana Surfrider’s celebration of the opening of its Moana Lani Spa this morning. I was stressed getting out the door this morning, thinking of the eight stories I have due by Friday (actually three are due Sunday but do I want to work Saturday?), but all that faded away just walking through the spa, which may be the biggest on this island, covering 16,000 square feet. Only Ihilani may be bigger, and I’m sure someone will correct me if it is.

There was a huge crowd waiting to get in the door, but once in, seriously, the place is so big that exploring the rooms, I rarely saw more than six people at once.

The view from one of the men’s massage therapy rooms; likely the last I’ll see of it. Don’t worry. The views are just as good from the women’s rooms.

The amenities:
>> 2 Oceanfront couples treatment suites
>> 8 massage therapy rooms
>> 2 body treatment rooms
>> 1 Vichy shower water therapy room
>> 3 facial rooms

The Westin WorkOut fitness center is built, but the last step is placing the machines which I was told would arrive today. Exercisers will have a view of Kalakaua Avenue, which can be just as entertaining as anything on TV, making workout time fly by.

Orchids at the pedicure station.

Most of the rooms have incredible views of the beach, and I didn’t want to leave, threatening to come back with my laptop computer, only to be told no computers are allowed in the spa. For good reason! Work has been presented as a “lifestyle” to those of us who can’t separate the two, but even when it’s fun, the wear and tear is there.

If you need to relax, call 237-2535 or visit www.moanalanispa.com 

Jovana Ihilani Ignjatovic visited the spa with her parents. Her first two names translate as “majestic heavenly splendor.” Her last name is Serbian. She was most interested in a nearby Jacuzzi but her parents thought it was best to keep her away from the water.

The spa carries Kauai-based Malie spa therapy products, as well as ComfortZone products. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Hawaii director of public relations Candice Kraughto shows her stash of ComfortZone lip products, at $24 to $25 each. She may be the only person to carry her cosmetics in a Tiffany box instead of a makeup pouch. I’ve known Candice a long time. She’s one of the few who remember I once had a vintage/consignment shop called Hippie Chicks. She always bought the most beautiful things and I asked before if she kept any of it. She didn’t, but if she did, I’d probably buy it back! Iguess some things never change. She’s carrying a Louis Vuitton Alma  bag in ivory.

By Nadine Kam

Mainichi photo
Considering the state of the union, we may all be longing for childhood naivete and the comfort of Teddy bears, Ugly dolls other cuddly toys, soon.

There’s a small contingency of Gothic Lolita fans in Hawaii, who may not care about the shows in New York, Milan or Paris, but may want to see the latest from the Marui Individual Fashion Expo IV that took place Tuesday in Tokyo.

For more photos and details, you might want to check out Carmen Yuen’s blog at Lacarmina.com and patrickmacias.blogs.com

Meanwhile, fashion historian Valerie Steele says a Goth revival is hitting the mainstream with this week’s opening of the “Dark Glamour” exhibition at New York’s Fashion Institution of Technology, the start of HBO’s new vampire series “True Blood,” and the film version of Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight” vampire novels slated to arrive at theaters in November.

Wearing black will be easy. Sort of fits the somber mood that has gripped the nation this year. Anyone who has watched their stock portfolios steadily decline is probably already walking around in a zombie-like haze.

One of the things said about Japan’s fondness for things kawaii, is that it emerged in the 1970s as a response to teens’ feelings of powerlessness against rigid social hierarchies. They reacted by retreating into passivism and infantilism. Many believe it is a delayed reaction to the nation’s loss during World War II, from which they certainly recovered financially and materialistically, but psychologically, the mistrust of institutions and sense of nihilism that grew out of the experience isn’t something easily dismissed. It just makes me wonder what lasting damage is taking place within our own country at the moment.

By Nadine Kam

Leanimal photo
Leanimal Gezane dress, $480 at Etsy.com

If you have any stalker tendencies at all, the Web will bring it out by sheer ease of finding information on people online. I’m not really stalking, but have been a little obsessed with the designs of “Project Runway’s” Leanne Marshall, sadly haunting her Etsy shop in hope that she would add something new.

Because she’s been busy with the show, her shop’s gone empty, but now that Fashion Week has ended, I checked it out again and saw that she recently added a white Gezane dress, for $480. Rats, pretty soon she’ll probably be selling in the $600 to $800 Christian Siriano / 3.1 Philip Lim range.

I like all the details in her designs, though she sometimes has a tendency to go overboard, which has been a problem on the show. Self-editing will come over time, but when she’s on the results are amazing.

Leanimal designs sold before she became famous :

By Nadine Kam

My favorite Emmy dress by Reem Acra.

I watched some of the Emmy red carpet arrivals Sunday, tuning in and out, while tuning out of the ceremony itself, which, lacking one main host, seemed to be scattered, lacking a center.

My favorite Emmy dress was Reem Acra’s, worn by Olivia Wilde. It looked so perfect, clean, elegant and glamorous, yet with a lot of painstaking detail that put it way ahead of the dime-a-dozen strapless column or sheath gowns favored by the other actresses. From the distance of television, they look too similar to mass-market clothing to be remotely interesting.

It’s kind of sad that the purpose of the red carpet is to showcase the actors, but instead, the focus is now on the dresses, inanimate objects that nevertheless have the power to steal the spotlight from the stars.

We take for granted when we see chandeliers that they’re made of glass or crystal, but the one adorning the Green Room Emmy Awards was made of 3,300, or $10 million worth of Hearts on Fire diamonds.

I was just talking to Tom Wheeler, owner of Opal Fields, about Hearts on Fire diamonds, cut to display a symmetrical 8-point pattern when viewed under a proportion scope. A 1-carat stone he showed me was $15,000 and its brilliance could be seen from across the room. Anyone buying a diamond should be able to look at it under the scope to see exactly what you’re getting.

By Nadine Kam

Nadine Kam photos
Steve Czerniak and Allison Kim-Czerniak welcomed patrons to celebrate the first anniversary of their Alliway boutique at Ward Warehouse.

Alliway celebrated its one-year anniversary with a party Friday night packed with friends and well-wishers who didn’t have to walk far to find a platter of food right in front of them, no doubt due in part to the work of The Wedding Café’s Tanna Dang who kept an array of savories and sweets coming, from onion-and-pear tarts, prosciutto & melon antipast to chocolate and pistachio macaroons.

Also to mark the occasion, Allison Kim-Czerniak, who believes in helping young designers get a start, hosted the debut of Marylea Conrad’s latest creation, a line of Hawaii- and nature-inspired jewelry named after her 8-month old daughter Kiele. The line is Ki-ele, with the hyphen thrown in there to help people with pronunciation. OK, I’m just wondering who born in Hawaii can’t pronounce the name, but that just tells me Marylea probably has plans beyond our shores.

But the youngest designer on the premises was 9-year-old Tai Masuda, whose necklace I admired as soon as I walked in the door. I kept looking for it on the shelves, only to find out that she’s Alli’s intern and designed the necklace herself.

Ever impatient, I was like, “Well, when are you going to make some for the store?” Tai said she was hopeful about the possibility of selling her work but said she “didn’t want to push” Alli, who was enthusiastic but just wanted to make sure Tai was ready to “release” her design.

Tai has a really good eye and outgoing personality, so she was helping a lot of adults make their choices. I was torn between a pair of silver earrings with deep blue stones or gold earrings with orange stones. At one point, I was ready to go with the silver because I already have a lot of gold earrings and, for practical purposes, thought it best to diversify. Tai was mildly enthused, but when I showed her the gold, she became wildly enthused. “Oh, that’s the one!” she said, noting it was better for my skin tone. Yup. There is a reason I favor the warmer color.

The only thing left to do was cut the birthday cake from The Cake Gallery, but Alli was wavering on that. It was a little too perfect to mar.

Anyway, it was a fun party and eventful first year. Congratulations Steve and Alli!

Marylea Conrad, left, debuted her Ki-ele line of jewelry, named after her second daughter. Her first daughter was welcomed with a line of swimwear, Melia Conrad, named after her. We’re wondering what will happen if Marylea ever gave birth to a boy. She’s with Brie Thalman, who also modeled for the jewelry line.

Tai Masuda, left, and Nanea Alden. I was admiring the necklace Tai was wearing and found out she made it. Below, she helps a customer make a decision.

There was much debate as to whether or not this Cake Love creation was ever going to be eaten. Even toward the end of the evening, Alli was reluctant to cut into it, but alas, a cake must fulfill its destiny. We’ll always have pictures.

By Nadine Kam

Nadine Kam photos
The Harajuku Girls handed out scent cards yesterday at Sephora Ala Moana Center, each representing the scents and characters from the Harajuku Lovers Fragrance Collection. They’re at the Pearlridge Sephora today, to 6 p.m.

The Harajuku Lovers Fragrance Collection arrived at Sephora Ala Moana Center yesterday with five scents: Love, Lil’Angel, G, Music and Baby available in .33 ounce ($25), 1 ounce ($45) and solid perfume ($60) sizes. Those who bought all five would receive a cute metal charm bracelet with the faces of the five characters.

I already had the G and floral Baby scents thanks to a friend who saw them in New York and sent them to me. Yay! Now I’m just wondering where to get my hands on those cute T-shirts and tank tops they’re wearing!

Earlier that day, Sephora was introducing some of its Christmas collection of holiday palettes and products, and to go with the product demonstrations, Lynette Jee was enlisted to share some of her teas, macaroons and other confections from her Pacific Place Tea Garden Cafe.

Adding a twist to the idea of the culinary tasting, Jee created some teas inspired by the chocolate, vanilla and fruity flavors that fill today’s cosmetics. The cosmetics aren’t really edible, but their bouquet did blend beautifully with Jee’s warm and spicy holiday chais, vanilla Hojicha roasted green tea and fruity tisanes. It was a very pleasant experience.

At Sephora, Lynette Jee shows the Korres Cherry lipgloss that inspired Pacific Place Tea Garden’s Very Cherry Tisane. The flavor was very cherry indeed, but the dry tea had a strong li hing scent.

In town for the event was Pamela Fischer of DeVries Public Relations, and after all the cosmetics talk was pau, I had to ask her how she kept her layered necklaces from tangling. She guessed it was a matter of varying chain weights, but she also stacked them side by side, rather than vertically.

She mentioned she had picked up one Alliway necklace she was wearing on her trip and was happy about her “discovery” of the Hawaii designer. Today would have been her lucky day if she wasn’t en route home. Alli is having her first store anniversary celebration to 8 p.m. at Ward Warehouse with prizes, refreshments and discounts on clothing, jewelry and accessories, including 30 percent off Alliway jewelry. See you there!

By Nadine Kam

Running this in tomorrow’s paper, but in case you need to plan to escape from work or dress accordingly:

Sephora welcomes Gwen Stefani’s Harajuku Lovers Fragrance Collection of five scents — Love, Lil’ Angel, Music, Baby and G, for Gwen — with kawaii doll atomizers inspired by L.A.M.B.

The introductions take place from noon to 6 p.m. Sept. 18 at the Ala Moana store, and the same times Friday at the Pearlridge location.

Dress like your favorite Harajuku Girl and you’ll go home with a free gift. Those who purchase all five fragrances will receive a free charm bracelet and disco ball to house the entire collection.

By Nadine Kam

Bravo
Rachel Zoe, left, and her assistants Brad and Taylor.

The latest must-see TV for the fashion set, especially anyone with stylist ambitions, is Bravo’s “The Rachel Zoe Project” that airs Tuesday nights.

I know, I know, she’s the stylist so many seem to hate and she’s an easy target with her high-profile Hollywood glam-boho style, and all the celeb dressing, in her own image. I just read where a New York Times reporter reviewing the show said Rachel is “a pox on humanity—exploiting an aesthetic of dissipation, invading our collective consciousness and spraying it with dummy dust.”

Them’s pretty strong words, but my feeling is that the woman deserves a lot of respect because styling is tough work. It’s extremely stressful to have the responsibility to both client and for her, A-list designers. There’s been a lot of political talk lately about putting lipstick on pigs, and the fashion equivalent is putting the wrong designs on the wrong bodies. Major designers are very careful about their image and few people are able to earn the trust of both clients and the designers, which makes me think there’s a lot of sour grapes in the criticism out there.

One legit piece of criticism is the sameness of the red carpet because of stylists’ fear of a misstep. But consider the celebrity client. They’re not out to challenge anyone with their fashion sense. Their only concern is looking pretty, and for the vast majority of the American audience, pretty and extravagant is as good as it gets.

Rachel Zoe inspects some of the water damage on Episode 2. Wonder how the designers reacted on seeing the episode.

What’s funny is her deadpan reaction to the most dire circumstances. On last night’s episode, her studio flooded and thousands of dollars worth of designer gowns were sitting with their hems in water and colors running. A lot of sh** happens in styling and you try to prevent it and cope as much as possible without freaking out, which gets you nowhere. Read the rest of this entry »