By Nadine Kam

Note to new readers: If you found me through InsideTheTents.com, my New York Fashion Week coverage starts Sept. 10. Until then, I am in sunny Honolulu.

Nancy Arcayna photo
Tag the World founder Robert Parks-Valleta and actress Hannah Cornett pose for a photo at the start of Sunday’s event. She’s wearing Escada.

Robert Parks-Valletta, known for his roles on “Young and the Restless” and “Days of Our Lives,” has a new role as the founder of the Tag the World Charity that supports cancer research, child and animal welfare, global green efforts and water initiatives in Africa.

Some of the funds are raised through the sales of sterling silver “tag” necklaces designed by Michael Barin, each representing support for one of the five causes. The tags are $80 and you can find out more at www.tagtheworld.com

On Aug. 23, he brought his fund-raising effort to Hawaii with a triathlon earlier in the day and evening party on the lawn of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, with some of young Hollywood in attendance, so young that the kind of guests who could afford to pay $175 for tickets would not have recognized them if not for the purple orchid leis around their necks.

Dinner was supposed to be served in the Monarch Room, but people preferred to be outdoors on the lawn and in the open air, catching the last light of the day. There was a relaxed vibe to the party and the food was great, which no doubt fueled Robert’s determination to bring the event back annually.

I couldn’t stay long because I had a friend’s B-day party to get to, but long enough to snap some photos:

Nadine Kam photos
It was great to catch up with Maui designer Maggie Coulombe and stylist Arid Chappell, doing a little island hopping before heading to New York, where they’ll be setting up a showroom during Fashion Week. I’ll be sure to stop by. I already had plans to pair one of her cocoon wraps with 3.1 Phillip Lim. Also ran into makeup artist Jessica Hoffman, who’ll also be at NYFW.

Sean Faris is working on several films, including “Ghost Machine,” in which he has the lead role. Definitely someone to watch. He’s with Breanne Racano, who’s been in “CSI: NY.”

Jeremy Jackson, left, and Elijah Sanchez.

“True Blood” star Mehcad Brooks posed for a photo with Patricia Ramos. He’s in G-Star.

Models Brigitte Patton, left, and Giselle Pineda.

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By Nadine Kam

Video stills by Nadine Kam
Calli Wagner on the Acid Dolls runway.

I’m getting ready for New York Fashion Week in a few more weeks, but in the meantime, Acid Dolls got off to a head start, with the debut of its Spring-Summer 2010 Collection Thursday night at the Honolulu Design Center.

Crystal Pancipanci’s stint in New York allowed her to bring some of the big city’s energy to the show, which opened with a performance by NY hip-rock artist Mitsue with Executive Platinum Music Producer Boola.

Otherwise, I’ve been waiting five years to see designer Cindy King’s post-UH work. She could have delivered a clothing collection sooner, but the perfectionist wanted nothing less than presenting a total look, so took extra time to simultaneously develop shoe and jewelry collections as well. Talk about workaholic.

And Pancipanci has been with her every step of the way as partner-stylist, while running her own fashion production company, Panci Style.

It was a great show, and there were plenty of dresses for girls who embrace the kawaii ideal, as well as cascades of ruffles for those who prefer a more romantic look, plus more sculpted, architectural pieces for the edgy woman. It was a fitting introduction to King’s versatility and talent, and having started, we can be sure we won’t have to wait another five years to see another collection from Acid Dolls.

Mitsue’s performance segued into the fashion show.

Krista Alvarez in a dress that would fit in at New York Fashion Week.

Justine Miguel in the show’s finale dress.

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By Nadine Kam

Dr. Hugo Higa hosted an open house at Aesthetic Vision Center Friday night, where it was rumored he might oblige volunteers willing to give a new botulinum product, Dysport®, a try.

Dysport, which received FDA approval two months ago, is a newer, more affordable and, I’m told, a less painful alternative to Botox® as an anti-wrinkle facial filler.

The event also helped introduce women to the latest skincare products from SkinCeuticals, but those with furrowed brows jumped up when the doctor called for volunteers. It was like watching kids on Christmas morning as about 15 women lined up for injections.

It was a generous offer, considering most of the women received 30 units of Dysport, a value of about $300.

I’m not quite ready for any kind of facial injections, and plan to rely on creams and facials as long as possible. It helps that I have a low threshold for pain, so avoid needles as much as possible. So when they say it’s painless, I don’t know, but there was sure a lot of laughter and zero tears while they were in the chair.

I asked how it feels as the Dysport goes to work, and they said after a while, the area feels heavy. Full relaxation of lines could be expected in about two days, but I could see results on some of the women immediately, and it looked as if they had naturally smooth foreheads.

It’s so amazing that we’ve come to a place where a procedure that might have been done in private a decade ago is now almost a non-stigmatized public spectacle. People are expected to try to look young by any means possible, which is different from altering one’s appearance. When you try to look like Barbie, someone else, or 17 again, you’ve got problems.

I was aware that I was making an icky face as the needle was going into others’ foreheads, when the doctor turned around and laughed when he saw my expression.

As for Higa’s background, he’s a dual–trained ophthalmologist and oculoplastic surgeon, who performs medical procedures to improve quality of vision. Along the way, he added cosmetic procedures that enhance appearance, adopting a “whole you” philosophy after learning that patients were quicker to see a doctor for vanity concerns than health reasons, and while he worked on the beauty aspect, he could also check their eye health.

Aesthetic Vision Center is in the Ala Moana Building that is also home to Bank of Hawaii, opposite Ala Moana Center. You can also visit the Web site www.aestheticvision.com.

By Nadine Kam

Tiffany.com

Tiffany hosted a party last Friday focusing on the art of layering jewelry, a showcase for a special collection of diamond fine jewelry that will be on view through Aug. 27, as well as a full selection of Tiffany Keys, based on archive designs.

The keys start at $100 in silver, and $250 for a small key in 18K gold. The most popular is the small silver key with Tiffany blue heart design ($100). I love the quatrefoil four-diamond pendant in 18k gold (shown above). Chains are sold separately to customize your look, and the different sizes, weights and lengths of chains can be layered to create interest.

I spied other things I liked, like bangles in Tiffany blue and the Paloma Picasso 20-carat pendants, but I need to wait and see how much damage New York Fashion Week brings to my credit card.

Photos by Nadine Kam
Tiffany Hilton wears Tiffany’s fine diamond jewelry. She was up early the next morning too, where she was helping the Hawaii Foodbank with the Can-struction event at Pearlridge Center and I was the only non-architect judge judging the creations.

Natsuko Nobeyama shows how the Tiffany Keys can be layered. She’s wearing a necklace of multiple strands of tourmalines valued at $52,000.

The invite, with artwork by Ruben Toledo.

By Nadine Kam

On the eve of the broadcast of the new “Project Runway” on Lifetime, show host Heidi Klum, her husband Seal and their children enjoyed some time at Windward Mall yesterday afternoon.

According to mall reps, Seal hung out in the play area with the kids while Heidi did some shopping. They were photographed leaving the mall, with a Thinker Toys shopping bag.

Follow the link to the Popsugar story.

By Nadine Kam

Lena Hanson is creating her Fab Brows out of Reneux Med and Dayspa.

OK, I admit it. I have really bad brows. I blame it on my Chinese heritage. My brows are so scragly and sparse that when makeup artists see me coming, the more assertive and easily offended of them will ask, “Can I fix your brows?”

In the days when I cared (a lot of life-or-death matters to the young matter a lot less when you’re older), I’d carefully pencil them in with eye shadow, but mostly I’m to busy to bother and will fill in the bald spots the quickest way possible, with some brown eye shadow.

The girls with the fab brows? I just figure they’re born with it, I wasn’t, and that’s that.

Then, I met Lena Hanson of Lena’s Fab Brows, through Twitter, and after seeing some of her work, OK, I concede that maybe having fab brows requires hard work, or the services of an artist.

You can check her out at a new location, at Reneux Med and Dayspa on the second floor at 401 Kamakee St. (The building is also home to Phuket Thai and Bamboo Sky.) Building parking is $1 an hour or $.50 an hour with validation.

She will be creating her Fab brows, as well as providing waxing and makeup services, with appointments taken at 372-3480.

She is offering a special rate of $18 (off her normal $35 rate for new clients) for new clients’ brows through Aug. 31.

Check out her site at http://www.lenasfabbrows.com

I was trying to look for a picture of Lena, who’s everywhere online, but she’s being shy now.

More of Lena’s work.

By Nadine Kam

The Hope Diamond will be placed in a new setting to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its donation to the Smithsonian Institution, and the public is invited to vote for their favorite setting. The designs, from left are Journey of Hope, Embracing Hope and Renewed Hope.

The world’s most famous diamond, the Hope Diamond, will get a makeover, a special re-design to honor the 50th Anniversary of its donation to the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History, a gift to the American people by legendary jeweler Harry Winston.

The Smithsonian Institution and Smithsonian Channel will celebrate the diamond’s legacy by inviting the American public to vote on a new design for the 45.52-carat blue diamond.

Voting started online today, continuing through Sept. 7 at http://www.smithsonianchannel.com/site/smithsonian/hope.html. The House of Harry Winston has designed three possible settings, each symbolizing modern Hope in America. The winning setting will be revealed in Washington, D.C., in the fall. Then the Hope Diamond will go on display in its new setting, coinciding with the world premiere of the Smithsonian Channel’s “Mystery of the Hope Diamond” in March, 2010.

The diamond will return to its original setting by 2010’s year end. I imagine there’s demand for all those white diamonds.

For those who don’t know the diamond’s history, the Hope is the largest deep blue diamond in the world, and is associated with a curse, that all who owned or touched it, including Marie Antoinette — who probably never wore it because it was reserved for use by Louis XVI — met with tragedy. The diamond takes its name from an 1839 catalog of Henry Philip Hope’s gem collection.

By Nadine Kam

Nadine Kam photos
It rained confetti and streamers yesterday at a ceremony to mark the 50th anniversary of Ala Moana Center’s opening. The Brothers Cazimero did the honor of singing Happy Birthday and a cake was wheeled on stage, and the streamers fell after representatives from 11 original remaining stores in the center blew out candles on the cake.

Ala Moana Center marked its 50th anniversary yesterday with ceremonies at CenterStage and a private reception to mark the opening of the celebratory exhibition, “Fifty Years of Fashion in Hawai’i.”

Anyone who doesn’t believe fashion can exist in Hawaii need only walk through the doors to step into a colorful past when Hawaii was on top of the resortwear world. The Golden Era for Hawaii’s manufacturers was from the mid-1930s through 1970s, when the rest of the world caught up to what we were doing and took casual and resort style corporate and global, making competition tougher.

The exhibition is a good reminder of what came before and what to strive for. It features more than 50 garments from the historic Costume Collection at University of Hawaii-Manoa, presented by Hawaii Fashion Incubator (Hifi).

Some of the creations are so stunning, they begged to be touched. Signs tell visitors not to touch the fragile pieces, of course, but shopaholics are so accustomed to browsing racks that one fashionista confessed, “Oops, I touched one of them!”

The opening-night fashion crowd were wowed by this gown.

HiFi co-founder Melissa May White was there and asked which was my favorite piece, which was hard to determine. They were all so wonderful in their own way. But we all agreed that this gown was one of the most fabulous in the exhibition, looking totally 2009 red-carpet ready. I also liked a blue 1950s swimsuit with pockets, picture further down this post, as well as a casual 1980s dress by Geoffrey Beene, also pictured later. I almost missed the Beene dress because it looks so contemporary, but I liked that look of ease and comfort suggested in use of lightweight, body-skimming nylon knit.

Some of the center’s luxury retailers also got involved, contributing pieces for the exhibition, including classic Gucci purses, a Dior saddlebag design, and Louis Vuitton’s Hawaii Regional VP Dale Ruff was there for a peek at a window showcasing satin sandals with orchid detail, created by Marc Jacobs exclusively for the Hawaii market in 2007.

Pieces by Alfred Shaheen in front of a colorful newspaper advertisement from McInerny. The white room, formerly home to a Japan-based jewelry boutique, was perfect for the display and I thought if would be a great idea if the center could make room for a permanent museum for a rotating display of garments from the UH collection. Fifty is not nearly enough to include a true picture of who’s who in Hawaii fashion. I may be wrong, but I didn’t see anything from Crazy Shirts, for example, which probably had the biggest impact on the way we dress today—not just in Hawaii.

The school’s 20,000-plus piece collection is certainly the most extensive archive of Polynesian-Hawaiian style, and Melissa mentioned that having a permanent home would encourage more people to donate pieces if they know they will be cared for, displayed and enjoyed.

A museum might also be able to charge a small admission that could be divided by the center and the school, toward better maintenance and cataloging.

From the center’s stance, General Growth is not doing so hot these days, so they need the site to pay for itself and there is already a tenant coming into the space, but the idea has been noted, and a person with the center said it might be possible to stage an annual exhibition, should a space come available.

For now, it’s a very nice addition and you can see the exhibition through Aug. 31 on the third level of the Nordstrom Wing, in a storefront between Express and Nordstrom.

Love these vintage swimsuits, especially the one on the left, which has pockets!

HiFi co-founder Melissa May White, who helped make the exhibition possible, stands at one of the displays. To the right of her is a 1950s piece by Ethel Shiraki de Saussure, who I wrote about in the Star-Bulletin here. You’ll see a photo of the designer wearing one of the tiny brocade dresses in the exhibition.

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By Nadine Kam

Nadine Kam photos
Nadine Benton, Western Field Sales Manager for Piaget with company president Larry Boland, show their Piagets. He’s wearing the new Piaget Polo FortyFive, the company’s first combining titanium and stainless steel. Between them, Justine Miguel models jewelry from Piaget’s Paris-New York collection, and Piaget’s Miss Protocale Classic watch, at $146,000. Her necklace is $350,000.
Today’s the last day to catch a showing of Piaget’s Red Carpet Collection of diamond jewelry and watches at Neiman Marcus.

It may be one of your only opportunities to try on a diamond watch valued at the cost of a small condo, like I did when a piece from the Limelight Creative Design collection was draped over my wrist. It was heavy. I guesstimate that it probably weighs more than a pound, but it had a smooth finish top and bottom, designed to avoid catching on fine clothing. The amount of sparkle was amazing, real fire power with flickers of brilliant reds, oranges, yellows, blues and greens. At $220,000, I had to give it back.

I tend to be more funky than glam anyway, so the Eiffel Tower peridot ring from the Paris-New York collection is more likely something I’d wear … if I had $37,500 to spare.

Of course there were plenty of time pieces for men. This Altiplano Double Jeu piece with alligator strap has two faces, one on top of the other in two separate cases connected by a hinge. Even with the double cases, it remains relatively thin.

Here’s a larger view of the pieces on Justine, who wears a Teri Jon gown. The Miss Protocale Classic watch also comes with a black patent band that can be switched out. Both black and diamond bands can be worn as bracelets when not used with the watch face. Sharene Boulos plays harp in the background.

By Nadine Kam

Donna Kato at home in her Colorado studio with some of her polymer clay creations.

If you want to tone up, just try working with polymer clay. I was in Donna Kato’s weekend workshop at the Linekona Art Center, presented by the Hawaii Stitchery and Fibre Arts Guild. Kato is a nationally known artist, author and teacher, who works in the polymer clay medium, i.e. Fimo, Sculpy and her own branded Kato Polyclay, a collaboration with Van Aken International.

What I was doing there I don’t know. I’m not particularly good with my hands, having been put on earth to appreciate artists of all stripes, from fashion and jewelry designers to visual artists. I always liked working with clay, though, both handbuilding and on a pottery wheel, so I thought it might be fun to explore a variation of the medium. I was also told that it helps to master polymer clay skills before tackling silver clay.

Sending white sheets of polymer clay through the pasta machine left me with a desire to make my own pasta.

During my interview with Donna, she kept referring to her pasta machine as key to working with her clay, and once I started working with it, I could see why. There’s no other way to pound it into submission. You have to flex, knead and roll it to get it into a thin enough sheet to fit through the pasta machine, and my abs and arms felt pretty toned after two days of working the clay. It was pretty slow going because we had to do a lot of conditioning of the clay, to get it into a factory-fresh pliable consistency, before even dreaming of shaping it into jewelry and other pieces.

At top are pieces made by Donna that would comprise the pin at top left. The pieces started with toner transfers from Xeroxed clip art. Above, once the pieces were cured once, the impressions left by the toner created images that could be inked over. Ele Clere applies ink to her pieces with her fingertips. Coincidentally, the colors and patterns she chose matched what she was wearing!

It’s an interesting medium because you can use several techniques to get it to mimic such raw materials as ceramic ware, bone, stone, ebony, ivory, glass and more.

Borrowing the glasswork idea of creating canes to replicate patterns, we created striped canes that would embellish bangle bracelets we were making. Once you start working with the polymer clay, you start seeing so many possibilities, but it probably does require a workspace that allows you to set up a pasta machine and dedicated toaster oven for curing small pieces.

My bracelet’s border cane. Layering the various colors of clay was like making maki sushi.

Here’s the way the cane looks when sliced thin and molded to black and giraffe-colored bangles, sitting on my Fighting Eel dress.

It’s pretty embarrassing to compare my bangles to hers, but hey, it’s years of experience vs. a two-day amateur. We only had time to make one bangle on the second day, but I noticed a woman wearing glasses that had a giraffe pattern on the arms, and I liked the color combinations, so hastily created that bracelet. Only, I didn’t have enough yellow clay after I finished making an orange-and-red cane, so my second batch of orange turned out more salmon color, which didn’t have enough contrast to make the brown giraffe spots stand out.

One of Donna Kato’s Art Nouveau pendants.

On my initial black bangle, I had a tribal pattern affixed in class but didn’t have time to let it bake. Once I got home, I decided I liked the plain, glossy black, which reminded me of the glosssy black-on-black work of the Martinez clan of New Mexico. So I removed the pattern and let it stand.

I love traveling in New Mexico and have quite a bit of the various pueblos’ pottery. I also love the red, shimmery mica clay there, and I guess those preferences and influences stay with a person, because the orange bracelet, with a touch of gold polymer clay, turned out to look a lot like the clay of Taos Pueblo.

Kato’s music pins, which we tried duplicating on Day One.

Only afterward, I noticed that the bangles were also perfect match for one of my Fighting Eel dresses, and the pattern on the black bangle would have matched the dress perfectly if I had left it in place. Oh well! I could add it back, but somehow, without the camaraderie of a class, it seems a much more daunting a task.

To find out more about the Hawaii Stitchery and Fibre Arts Guild, that doesn’t limit itself to fiber arts, write P.O. Box 235673 / Honolulu, HI 96822.