By Nadine Kam

Roberta Oaks photo
Roberta Oaks Summer 2009 version of the Quaint dress.

Two summers ago, when packing for New York, I made sure to include one of my Roberta Oaks Quaint dresses in green and leopard print, the thinking being that no one there would have anything as stand-out original. And, I was right. Her dresses get a lot of attention, even here, where we’re surrounded by color and print.

But, the secret’s out now that WWD has included Roberta’s plum Quaint dress in its Fall Trend Report online. It falls under the heading “Animal Planet,” featuring items in a mix of grays, blacks and purples, and including dark animal prints.

You’ll have to wait to get the dress. It ships to boutiques Aug. 15.

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By Nadine Kam

Aubrey Hawk photo
The KITV Island Television News This Morning team, from left, Yasmin Dar, Dan Meisenzahl, Mahealani Richardson and Amber-Lynn Hyden had some fun at J Salon before hopping into the stylists’ chairs. At far left is J Salon owner Joe Randazzo.

Had some fun with the KITV morning news crew last Friday when they were at J Salon for a team bonding session to welcome Yasmin Dar to the telecast with makeovers that would allow them to put up a united, cohesive face on air.

That makes sense. You see some newscasts where outfits clash — some are in suits, some aloha wear, some scoop-necked T-shirts — and it’s jarring. It’s not like I’m not going to watch the news because of the way someone is dressed, but it can be distracting. Instead of listening to the news, I sometimes listen to the voice in my head that’s complaining, “Put a jacket on, will ya?” “What happened to looking like a professional?” or “Someone needs to hire a stylist.” And I’m not even that critical or distracted by looks.

I would think that the distraction of one’s appearance is a concern for anyone trying to communicate. I find that to be true when I’m talking to men sometimes. They’re looking at me and pretending to listen, but I get the feeling their mind is blank, or saying, “When will this be over,” and they’re not hearing a word. (more…)

By Nadine Kam

Associated Press photos

Although the latest “Project Runway” season hasn’t even aired, the finalists showed their work at New York Fashion Week, and it looked like another sort of Rami/Christian showdown. Now that the week is over, it’ll be last season’s news by the time the episodes actually air. The program is mired in a dispute due to its move from Bravo to the Lifetime network. You can read more about it at the Times.

Whoever designed this, though, looks like a winner to me:

The show may have run its course. With all the problems in the fashion industry, few are interested in throwing money at the next big thing, in favor of keeping the tried and true afloat.

I’m more interested in seeing the start of Style’s “Running in Heels,” with its peek behind the scenes at Marie Claire. It starts airing March 1. It’s bound to be amusing.

By Nadine Kam

Bar Refaeli on the cover of Sports Illustrated much-read, or at least must-looked-at, Swimsuit Edition.

Maui’s Tori Praver may not have made the cover of Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Edition, having lost that distinction to Leo Dicaprio’s girlfriend Bar Refaeli, but Maui is a big winner in the island fashion sweepstakes.

Sixteen-year old Maui native Talia Gangini, for one, was thrilled to discover one of her cone shell necklaces on the cover of the magazine, which means it will be seen by 66 million pairs of eyeballs.

Another of Talia Gangini’s neckalaces.

“I sent my swimwear and jewelry in so long ago, I’d almost forgotten about it,” she said in a press release. “Hundreds of designers are asked to send in pieces, I didn’t think I had much of a chance.” Check out her Pashey Desginz on her Web site at www.taliagangini.com.

On Maui, her work can be found at the Jewelry Studio of the Hui No’eau Visual Arts Centerin Makawao, and Hana Hwy Surf and Simmer Hawaii in Paia. Talia and her younger sister Tehani also create a line of swimsuits under the name Manini Gangini Bikini.

Bar Refaeli in Letarte.

Bar’s bikini is by Missoni, and while none of the sisters’ bikinis made it into the issue, three other Maui designers — Maui Girl, Letarte Swimwear, and Beauty and the Beach Hawaii — did.

Maui Girl, designed by Debbie Wilson, had two suits in the magazine, and another 25 featured on the SI Website. Maui Girl was also featured in 2008 and 2006.

Letarte Swimwear, helmed by local designer Lisa Letarte Cabrinha, has four swimsuits in the issue and hundreds more online. This is the 9th year that Letarte Swimwear has had, with the most famous feature being the teeny red bikini on the cover in 2005.

Beauty and the Beach Hawaii is the new addition to the Maui legacy. Co-owners and designers Katie Wilson and Tami Snodgrass had two suits in the issue.

Congratulations to all! The wait must’ve been long, but worth the suspense.

By Nadine Kam

Touchstone Pictures
Isla Fisher, in magenta, stars as shopaholic Rebecca Bloomfield in “Confessions of a Shopaholic,” opening Feb. 13.

As a reporter I try not to make assumptions about people and situations until talking to parties involved, but sometimes when you see a person’s work, it’s hard to separate the professional from the personal.

That’s what happened when I interviewed Patricia Field in advance of the opening of “Confessions of a Shopaholic.” Sizing up her colorful hair, her New York boutique and her wardrobe work on “Sex and the City,” “The Devil Wears Prada” and “Ugly Betty,” I assumed an over-the-top, flamboyant personality who might also be a shopaholic herself.

But no. She’s every bit the fashion pro. And now, when I think about it, I don’t know why I was surprised at all.

I think a lot of people look at fashion as a fun, fluffy business, but it is every bit as demanding as any other field, requiring a lot of discipline and hard work. Those with longevity don’t tend to be shopaholics because the biz rewards those skilled at editing wardrobes, and I imagine a shopaholic would be all over the map when it comes to making selections.

For a moment, I had to wonder if I am one because of my eclectic closet and shopping bags full of unworn items. Just this morning I found two sequin belts (one red, one silver) with heart buckles that I bought from former SB’er Shawn “Speedy” Lopes, now owner of Stylus. Yay! I wanted to wear one two weeks ago! But, while I have been known to be impulsive, buying things the moment I spot them, I’m not addicted to shopping. (more…)

By Nadine Kam

While working on today’s story about makeup artist Nolan Makaawaawa, winner of Lifetime’s “Blush: The Search for the Next Great Makeup Artist,” I went to the TV Web site to look at some of the finale footage, and a familiar face popped up on the screen.

It was local model Courney Arndt, who’s now working in L.A. and was one of the models in the Badgley Mischka fashion show. It’s great to see two more people from Hawaii making a splash in a bigger pond.

You can watch the video here and see more of the show as well.

By Nadine Kam

Touchstone Pictures
Isla Fisher, as shopaholic Rebecca Bloomwood, attempts to take charge of her closet. Click on the photo for the trailer.

I got a chance to interview Patricia Field yesterday in advance of the opening of “Confessions of a Shopaholic,” though we won’t be running the story until closer to the film’s opening in February.

Who can wait that long?

What was most interesting to me was that the boutique-owning stylist for “Sex and the City” and now, “Ugly Betty,” says she’s NOT a shopaholic. I mean, you’d assume a person who shops for a living might be, right? But the -holic part would suggest a form of mental illness, and she’s firmly in control of her finances and material desires.

While she loves clothing and accessories across the board, high and low, new and worn, she’s very practical about it all, saying that she probably owns less clothing than her fans would imagine, to the point where she says she basically wears the same thing over and over, changing things up with accessories. But that’s where her styling skills come into play and not everyone is so blessed.

Even so, her advice for shopaholics who want to gain control over their spending habits is to stop buying clothes because a T-shirt is a T-shirt is a T-shirt, and focus on learning how to accessorize those basic pieces to update your wardrobe for the most impact and least expenditure.

The film’s timing is good, balancing lots of eye candy with the idea that there is a bigger price to pay for overshopping than what’s on the price tag.

I sent a post off to Twitter about the interview, and fans of Field were quick to respond, including someone I know locally who asked, “OMG, did you die?”

Well, yeah. That happens sometimes when you get a chance to speak with some of the people you idolize. In fact, I’m just lucky she had a good sense of time because she wanted to give me the full 20 minutes allotted to individual journalists across the country in her marathon day of phone calls. Otherwise, I was like, “Hi, uh, um, OK, bye,” which doesn’t happen too often.

The other memorable time I was on nervous mode was talking with the film director Ang Lee, post “Brokeback Mountain” and in advance of “Lust, Caution.” When the man has time to speak, you have to take the call, and unfortunately, it happened on a day I had a five-hour photo shoot for HI Luxury magazine. The session was scheduled to end about 3 p.m., the same time he wanted to call after getting off a plane from LA to New York. With any luck, my shoot would end early and his plane would be delayed to give me time to return about $50,000 worth of clothing to boutiques and get back to my desk.

Didn’t happen. His agent called just as I left the Halekulani and I had to explain I was in my car and could we reschedule in about a half hour. They granted an extra 15 minutes, the point being that once the director arrived home, that was his sanctuary away from work. That gave me enough time to make it to Ala Moana Center and park. But while waiting in the car, I got impatient, and figured I could make a run with the bags to the shops. I had just dropped off the last bags when he called, and there I was with cell phone, trying to balance my notepad on a planter outside Dior, trying to sound intelligent and stress-free.

I don’t think I fooled him, but he is the nicest man.

By Nadine Kam

Nadine Kam photos
The golden one, designer Blayne Walsh, with his manager Nadia Yun at Skyline.

The Blayne Walsh “Girlicious” weekend continued at Skyline at Twist at Hanohano Saturday night, with the “Project Runway” alum presenting his own Richard Blayne collection, fresh from its debut in his current hometown of Seattle on Dec. 1.

Those who read this blog already know that I was a big fan of Leanne Marshall’s, who ultimately won the competition, but I feel we’re so lucky to have had the second opportunity to see the collection Blayne might have presented at New York Fashion Week if he had made the top five, which he narrowly missed. It’s one his TV fans would have loved to see on the small tube, and here, we were seeing it live!

A Richard Blayne mini dress.

Having met him and seen first hand what he’s all about, I’m now a fan of Richard Blayne and definitely saw some pieces in the collection I’d like to wear. It’s also great that he designs for both men and women, because, as he said at Pearl on Friday night, “Men need better clothes.”

Of course, the show started stylishly late at 11:30 p.m., so I had ample time to take photos of fashion enthusiasts in the crowd while enjoying some of the restaurant’s fabulous martinis or a chair massage courtesy of CMC Medi-spa in Aiea.

It was fun seeing some of the models as I’ve never seen them, like it was the first time I saw Raena Cassidy so punked out. Not to mention the hosts with the mosts, Flash and Matty Boy, taking their turn on the runway! (more…)

By Nadine Kam

Nadine Kam photos
Blayne Walsh studies Andy South’s design on the bar runway at the Candy Bar Friday night at Pearl.

Part 1 of a Blayne Walsh weekend began at Candy Bar at Pearl Ultralounge on Friday night, with the designer, a Season Five “Project Runway” contestant in the hot seat as a judge this time.

The task was to pick a winner out of local designers who presented one garment each. It was a really tough job, but in the end, the winner was Andy South, who appears to be developing a global aesthetic, with shades of Japanese designers meeting the Brits. It’s interesting to watch the designers develop, because I see a lot of them at the college level, and I can count on one hand the number that have impressed me over my years of covering fashion.

Winner Andy South with his model and designer judge Blayne Walsh.

People I work with always tell me I shouldn’t be so harsh, the excuse being, “They’re just kids, they’re learning!” Well, that’s always Hawaii’s excuse, and you know what? I’ve never bought into that attitude because it reinforces a culture of aspiring to be just “good enough.” I see what “kids” coming out of New York design schools produce, and it is top-notch in every aspect, nearly on par with the best designers in the world. Granted, they come from across the country, resulting in a confluence of talent and not all of them will make it, yet they all represent competition that is growing exponentially with the growth of China, India and other countries with design talent of their own.

“Good enough” is not going to cut it in the coming decades, so competitions like this are great, giving designers an opportunity to show to a large audience that might not otherwise get to see their work, and getting an outside opinion and critique, and I think Blayne did a fantastic job. There is a lot of pressure in delivering a solo opinion, and he did it with grace, telling each of his top 5 finalists what he liked about their work — in other words, not like “Project Runway” at all!

Those who didn’t win and didn’t make the top 5 should also not feel bad at all. The one thing you have to remember about these contests is that part of it is for show, and I could see there were several great garments that were well-designed and well-constructed, but can be overlooked in that loud, clubby environment, where there can’t be a rigid formal critique and no one wants to hear that anyway. In the heat of the moment, there needs to a combination of great design with some edginess and flamboyance.

Blayne with his manager Nadia Yun. His shirt says “Tom Ford for President.” He was also wearing a white hoodie jacket that said “Mary Kate,” because “I love her,” he said of the dark-sided Olsen.

Blayne was very cool throughout and ended by telling everyone in the audience to go out and support local designers. (more…)

By Nadine Kam

Courtesy Loree Rodkin
First Lady Michelle Obama rocks Loree Rodkin earrings at the election night victory rally in Chicago.

Well, the McCain camp got one thing right when, pre-election, they compared Barack Obama to Paris Hilton. It’s the rare political figure who becomes a fashion icon and there has been much talk about his suits (custom-tailored from Chicago clothier Hart Schaffner Marx), as well as his wife Michelle’s (J.Crew and Chicago designer Maria Pinto).

Much was made of Michelle’s black widow dress on election night. Wearing a sweater over it was unfortunate and I thought a suit would have been more appropriate, but her jewelry, by L.A.-based designer Loree Rodkin, sparkled. The white gold and diamond triple dangles with oval, marquee and pear shapes retails for $10,275. You can check out the Ala Moana Center store for more of Rodkin’s fine jewelry and costume designs at a fraction of that price.

Just like Paris, Nicole and the Olsens, we’ll likely to keep getting wardrobe and accessory updates along with the Obamas’ political report cards over the next four years. That has to be good for retailers, who can now lay claim to demographic that usually puts substance before style. To me, the two go hand in hand. It’s possible to have substance, which I read as intelligence and influence, without style, but it’s rarer to find style without intelligence to back it.