By Nadine Kam

Just yesterday, in talking about the opening of the film, “Coco Before Chanel,” I mentioned how Chanel “had to be tough and smart to make it in a man’s world when, to this day, all the major French couture houses bear the names of their male creators.”

So just today, the Wall Street Journal ran a story about the resurrection of the house of Vionnet, founded by designer Madeleine Vionnet in 1939.

But, just as Karl Lagerfeld serves as designer for Chanel today, design duties at the revived Vionnet have been assigned to a man, Rodolfo Paglialunga.

You can read the story at http://www.hsblinks.com/18v

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One of Andy Warhol’s depictions of Chanel No. 5.

Chanel fans will also have another peek into the designer’s life next year via a film adaptation of Chris Greenlagh’s novel, “Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky (Riverhead TPK Original). The book is due for release next month, with the film — that closed the Cannes Film Festival this year — scheduled for U.S. release in January 2010.

The two works present the brief, fiery and little-known affair between Chanel and the legendary composer, that is said to have inspired both, leading his music in a new direction, and to her creation of the legendary perfume, Chanel No. 5.

By Nadine Kam

Nadine Kam photos
Brigitte Patton wears one of Kanna Yamauchi’s bridal designs.

Hui Makaala, an Okinawan scholarship organization whose goal is to promote the Okinawan culture and Uchinanchu spirit did just that during its annual fashion luncheon Oct. 18 at the Sheraton Waikiki.

It’s not often that they’re able to bring in a designer from Okinawa, but they hit the jackpot with the mother-and-daughter designers, respectively, Mitsuko Yamauchi and Kanna Yamauchi.

Mitsuko was the headlining designer here two years ago, and this year it was Kanna’s turn to show her designs for Yokang, a fashion collaboration that involves her husband, the artist and textile designer Hiroshi Tanaka.

Yokang designs were a hit at Hong Kong Fashion Week, and Kanna heads to Japan after Honolulu.

The fashion show was preceded by several performances by Dazzman Toguchi, Hooge Ryu Hana Nuuzi No Kai and Ryukyukoku Matsuri Daiko Hawaii.

Then Kanna put on a display of handpainted/airbrushed garments reflecting Okinawa’s colorful aesthetic that fits in nicely with our own island surroundings. Her show was presented during Hong Kong Fashion Week before her arrival here.

Dancer Dazzman Toguchi in one of Yokang’s unisex hoodies.

There was a break in the middle of the show, when Mitsuko showed some of her bridal designs, as well as men’s shirts that were available for sale outside the showroom before and after the event. The show concluded with Yokang bridal designs.

There was so much packed into the show that I had some trouble editing down to fit YouTube’s 10-minute restriction. Videos can give the impression that what you see is what you get, so, just know that there was much more than could be shown.

You can read more about Yokang in my story that ran in advance of the show: http://hsblinks.com/134

Mens’ shirts formed a big part of a segment shown by Kanna’s mother Mitsuko Yamauchi, founder of Okinawa’s Fashion Room Madonna. This one is modeled by former city prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro. Equivalent to the aloha shirt, these shirts are also worn by businessmen in Okinawa.

A videographer at work.

Kanna posed backstage with Brigitte and Nicole Fox, right.

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By Nadine Kam

Too little, too lame, too tired for Paris.

It was a sad day for fashion on Sept. 9, when it was announced that Lindsay Lohan had been named artistic advisor for the house of Ungaro. Conspicuosly timed to the start of New York Fashion Week, the news was not well received and generated a negative buzz among editors and those working in the field. For any designer who has studied and worked to get where they are, and those who have not yet made it, it was a slap in the face.

Granted, there have been celebs with their own vision and creative instincts, who have made their mark in fashion. Think Olsen twins and Gwen Stefani, for a start. There have also been numerous collaborations that have worked our well for brands and celebs, but this was different. It was throwing a plum job to a washed up actress with no discernable fashion point of view beyond Hollywood trashy. That might have even worked in a boom economy, but on the Paris runways last week the new collection came off ticky-tacky and frivolous for these sober times and lacked the artistry associated with designers who have already proven they belong in Paris.

A bright spot was offered up by the Sydney Morning Herald, suggesting that Lindsay’s “insult” to fashion could result in companies seeking less input from celebrities. But that’s wishful thinking. Celebrities still seem to have the power to move brands. But I hope the brand owners can simply be honest and call these moves collaborations and give credit to the real designers who too often go nameless.

Due to the Lindsay association, though, we’ll probably all remember designer Estrella Archs name and I’m already wondering what she’ll do for the next Ungaro collection, hopefully without Lindsay.

Check out more opinions here:

LA Times

The First Post

New York magazine

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In happier news, Hilary Duff’s Femme collaboration with DKNY Jeans reflects her style while being on trend and perfectly suited to its young demographic, with each piece wearable, easy to mix and match and integrate with pieces every girl has, and coming in at less than $100 per piece.

Check it out: www.dkny.com

By Nadine Kam

Associated Press photos
Shown on the Louis Vuitton spring-summer 2010 runway in Paris today.

While a lot of attention during the European shows gravitated toward what was on the models’ feet, Marc Jacobs again showed he was ahead of the pack, by leading the Louis Vuitton show with ’shroomy afros appearing to be as large as the garments themselves. You can’t help but stare at the huge puffballs, that on top of the models’ skinny bodies also resembled dandelions.

Get beyond that, and you might notice the original suiting and tactile dresses.

By Nadine Kam

Nadine Kam photo
A model and photographer from the Open Air 8X10 Fashion Show bring pedestrians into the fashion picture.

I received an email from the Extremely Hungary organization that jogged another N.Y. memory. The pro-Hungarian group hosted a fashion/art project on 6th Avenue, between 42nd and 43rd streets, bringing the fashion shoot to the street by photographing passersby with models dressed in creations by Hungarian designers in an event called the “Open Air 8X10 Fashion Show.” You can see some of the resulting images by visiting their Flickr stream.

Open Air photos

I’m afraid I got caught up in the moment and was one of those who posed for them, but had the sense of mind not to sign the release form that would have allowed the photo to be unleashed who knows where around the world. I did give them my email address to receive the photo, but didn’t think they’d be organized enough to figure out which email went with which photo.

It was a fun idea that brought a lot of people not normally interested in fashion into the picture.

Nadine Kam photos
Polaroid images of some of those who stopped to pose on the street.

Here’s a DIY idea for updating your old shoes. One of the models was wearing a pair of black slingback wedges dressed up with various pieces of colored leather and fabric.

By Nadine Kam

Associated Press photos

Shoes have risen to extraordinary heights in every way — size, design, price —over the past few seasons, but these pointe-shoe styles shown by Alexander McQueen during his Paris show earlier today are downright scary. It makes every painful stiletto up to this point seem wearable.

Would you wear it?

On the Alexander McQueen runway.

By Nadine Kam

Nadine Kam photos
Victoria’s Secret Angel Marisa Miller will sign autographs for fans from 4 to 6 p.m. today.

I was at the opening at the Victoria’s Secret store this morning at 8 a.m. for its blessing because it’s my job to be there. What I don’t understand is why, by the time the store actually opened at 9:30 a.m., there were more than 600 people in line waiting to get in. Do they think they’re going to run out of bras? Is it a point of pride to be the very first customer? It’s not like a pop-up shop that’s going to go away overnight. Victoria’s Secret is really here to stay after we’ve patiently and agonizingly waited our turn while they opened more than 1,000 other stores around the world.

The line started at 6:30 a.m. and that’s got to make the company happy. Victoria’s Secret Angel Marisa Miller was there for photographs and interviews, and the City Managing Director Kirk Caldwell was there to welcome the store, and, filling in for our traveling mayor, to place a lei around Miller’s neck with requisite kiss. The opening, he said, is “very good news for Hawaii,” as a bright spot in our economy with such a major retailer demonstrating their confidence and commitment to the state.

If you read the story in the print edition today, you can learn about the opportunity to become the next VS Angel by entering online at VSAllAccess.com and CBS.com.

Star-Bulletin business reporter Nina Wu, in black, interviews the first people in line to get into Victoria’s Secret. The line went around the corner, between Sears and Longs, to the parking lot, and alongside Sears past Jamba Juice. As person after person entered the store, I wondered how many it could contain. (It swallowed up the former Island Snow, TheGap and Disney spaces.) They stopped the line at 500, then started admitting a few people at a time as shoppers exited.

The job is more demanding than you’d imagine, and the Angels have to have more going for them than a super body and pretty face as they also serve as ambassadors and spokesmodels for the brand. You can begin to imagine what that takes when you realize such media dynamos as Tyra Banks and Heidi Klum have served as Angels.

Kelly Boy De Lima, of Kapena, was the second person to make a purchase. Guys are quick, no-nonsense shoppers and he picked up a gift card for his daughter’s 18th birthday.

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By Nadine Kam

Photos by Nadine Kam
Models face the crowd. Viscose fringe dress with pierced treccia waistline, detail below, and Macchu Picchu print chiffon off-shoulder dress.

Catherine Malandrino took her guests around the world with her “Nomads” Spring-Summer 2010 collection, with four tableaux gracing the Chelsea Art Museum beginning at 1 p.m. Sept. 15. The aim was to capture the spirit of the Nubas of Sudan, Berbers of the Sahara, Cashibo of Peru and Samoans of Polynesia through silhouettes based on draping and wrapping the body, with harem pants and linen men’s trousers emphasizing a loose shape.

Catherine Malandrino’s ad in the Daily.

The gallery was packed, which caused one photographer to remark, “People actually want to be here?” It’s one thing to be working and another to be part of a mass throng, which makes it hard to take photos. You feel like you can’t really walk around the pedestals or get too close to the models unless you’re a hambone who likes being in others’ shots.

There was a lot to take in, and a lot of details in the clothing. Check it out:

Ciara wears Terracotta Seta jersey Riad jumpsuit with Fiori de Bronzo chained leather necklace.

Selina wears Tokoriki cotton/chiffon applique tunic with degrade fringe chianti skirt.

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By Nadine Kam

M.A.C photos
Models at the Rodarte show were dressed with tribal tattoos inspired by the Maoris of New Zealand.

Makeup during New York Fashion Week isn’t restricted to the face alone. M.A.C senior artist Chantel Miller created the Maori-inspired geometric tattoo makeup seen on the runways at the Rodarte Spring/Summer 2010 runway show today at Gagosian Gallery.

Chantel, who specializes in body painting, spent four intensive hours with a team of 40 artists hand painting the elaborate body art. Each model received a customized combination of design motifs, depending on which look they were wearing in the show. This is why my planned back stage visit didn’t materialize. They scaled back on press because they didn’t need the distraction.

The “tattoos” at the Rodarte show were achieved with M.A.C Micronized Airbrush in Black Black, PRO Mixing Medium/Alcohol Base and Liquidlast Liner in Point Black.

Tom Pecheux for M.A.C also created tribal looks for Catherine Malandrino’s “Nomads” presentation at the Chelsea Art Museum. Her Spring-Summer 2010 collection circled the globe, paying homage to Sudanese clans, Saharan nomads, Peruvian tribes and the Samoans.

Nadine Kam photos
Fringe, flowers and Samoan-inspired tattoos formed one part of Catherine Malandrino’s presentation at the Chelsea Art Museum.

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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