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. (more…)

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
Calli Wagner modeled Escada’s metallic brocade blouse and matching skirt worn with thigh-high black boots.

Escada celebrated its boutique’s new look with a grand re-opening celebration Wednesday, also honoring Violet S. Loo, president of the board of directors for The Contemporary Museum.

Party-goers were treated to informal modeling of Escada’s fall collection of dresses and coats worn with thigh-high boots, while enjoying pupu from Jackie Takeshita’s The Bistro Catering. Boutique manager Mariese Montano-Smith wanted to make sure no one when home hungry, so there were some generous sandwiches that required nibbling while hiding in a back corner of the boutique before rejoining the rest of society.

Greeting guests at the door were Connor Coffin, left, and Sean Herndon, right, pictured with New York-based special events manager Kathryn Knox, and Hawaii boutique manager Mariese Montano-Smith.

Christa Wittmier is surrounded by contenders in the recent “Hawaii’s Most Beautiful Man” contest, from left Ricky Stinar, Sergey Victorovich and Napua Canda. All fashion parties could use more guys from outside the fashion realm. It was funny when Ricky started stripping off his tie and unbuttoning his collar midway through the proceedings. Most women I know like men to dress well, stopping short of caring more about clothes or being more fastidious than we are.

Karen Vance models a skirt and scallop-hem blouse embellished with hundreds of gold bugle beads, tiny sequins and fine, intricate passementerie. The skirt alone is $3,990.

Among the stylish guests were Kim Smith, Margaret Jen Akinaka and Erika Kauffman.

By Nadine Kam

Nadine Kam videoWe tend to consider dance more in terms of performing than visual arts, but there’s a fashionable element connected to costume design, which takes creativity and construction expertise. It’s not that easy, as evidenced by this week’s drag queen episode of “Project Runway.”

Out of all the creative occupations, I’d consider a dancer’s life the toughest because of limited opportunities combined with a short shelf life, so I’d imagine you’d find a lot of tough, can-do attitudes in dance. That seems to characterize the mindset of Cheryl Flaharty, artistic director for Iona Contemporary Dance Theatre, who’s busily imagining all manner of creatures for the troupe’s Oct. 4, 2008, fundraiser, “Atlantika.”

While she envisions a human fountain with arms continuously spouting water, and an Octopussy making her arrival by popping out of the center of a table and spreading her arms across dinner plates, Flaharty has no idea how they’ll be constructed. She only knows it’ll be done.

Eight weeks ahead of the party, it’s make it work time!

Tables are $3,000 to $10,000 for 10. Call 262-0110.

By Nadine Kam

Nadine Kam photos
Philip Rickard has opened a new store at Ala Moana Center on the third level just outside Nordstrom. The jeweler was there with his marketing rep Liz Lerner to greet guests and talk about his jewelry.

Philip Rickard opened its doors with a blessing on the third level of Ala Moana Center’s new expansion Thursday, Aug. 14, close to the Nordstrom entrance.

Those who attended had the opportunity to see jewelers at work engraving bracelets and finishing pendants from behind a glassed room. There will always be jewelers there to work on custom pieces for buyers. Much of the Hawaiian jewelry orders are customized due to the personalization aspect of adding names, initials and sizing the pieces.

One showcase is devoted to designs created for Gwen Stefani’s L.A.M.B. fashion shows.

One of Philip’s most famous customers is Gwen Stefani who, he said, always admired Hawaiian jewelry when she traveled to Hawaii as a young girl, but could never afford it. Of course, times change and when she was able to place her first order with Rickard, she bought seven bracelets.

Since then, he’s sat down with her to design pieces for her fashion shows and describes her as being a person “on fire.”

“You can feel the energy around her, and she’s so creative,” he said. One of the things she had asked for were large bangles that the company had never offered. Since then, he’s found there’s a lot of demand for large pieces.

If you have any doubts about the labor that goes into this jewelry, you can watch work being done on the premises. Here, a large bangle is being engraved.

It was fun to try on other pieces, feel the weight of the gold and see the artistry behind the engraving. I was like, “I want to try that!” I did take a jewelry making class once, and enjoyed creating designs in wax involved in lost-wax casting, but I couldn’t take the heat involved in working with metal. Every time it came to polishing rings, the pieces would get so hot I couldn’t stand it and they would go flying out of my hand and pinging around the room. They probably could have taken someone’s eye out, so it’s safer that I just look and admire, and that means I have great respect and admiration for jewelers. Anyone creative, really.

Philip Rickard will be among a handful of Hawaii luxury companies featured during a September installment of E! News Extra.

Philip Rickard photo
These bracelets were created by Hawaii jeweler Philip Rickard for Gwen Stefani’s Spring 2008 L.A.M.B. runway show during the Mercedes Benz New York Fashion Week.

By Nadine Kam

Nadine Kam photos
Mini cupcakes from Cake Couture accompanied delicious pupu from Town restaurant at a party to celebrate the debut of Celine’s Tourbillon collection. It was a cupcake kind of weekend for me, starting with pink-frosted mini cupcakes at Betsey Johnson Thursday, a cupcake going away for our SB intern Bali Fergusson Friday, and heading to lunch at The Contemporary Museum Saturday there was a bridal shower on the lawn with a tiered arrangement of cupcakes for dessert.

A garden party theme party marked the debut of Celine’s new Tourbillon collection of handbags and accessories. The design reflects Celine Vipiana’s passion for horses, and with the swirling pattern that looks like a floral print from a distance is imagery of a carriage race against canvases of white, blue, red, black and green.

Prices start at $165 for a key case to $890 for a travel-size weekend bag.

From left, Celine store manager Miki Hayashi Yim welcomed Maki Takushi, Toshie Taniguchi and Masami Clahan. Maki created dozens of green-hued flower arrangements in many sizes, like the one above, for the event. Knowing the color scheme, she was able to coordinate her outfit — with light green scarf and cream-colored jacket— to match the flowers perfectly!

Celine photo
It’s hard to see, but within the floral, whirling trompe-l’oeil Tourbillon pattern is imagery of a horse, carriage and rider.

Emily Lopez showed up with two dates, her husband Michael Goyne, left, and Kawika Williams.

By Nadine Kam

Nadine Kam photos
Rose Bernardo tries on Betsey Johnson’s 30th anniversary exclusive cardigan. It’s $200.

Guests fueled up on pink cupcakes, pink champagne and pink M&Ms at last Thursday’s party at the Betsey Johnson Ala Moana Center boutique, marking the designer’s 30th anniversary in the biz. How time flies!

No, Betsey couldn’t be here for the celebration, but boutique manager Marilee Mattson said that at a celebration in NYC, women showed up in vintage Betsey and the designer started buying back the clothes off their back. When she was here for the store opening, I wore a Betsey I had picked up in the mid-90s, a pink (natch) princess line dress that came with a black crochet corset-laced bra worn over it. I picked it up in Seattle.

I picked up other things as well, and remember traipsing around the city in a red-and-white cropped top with a black corset over it, and my hair in pigtails. In Seattle, no one bats an eye at such a sight. But, I hate to be stared at so here in Hawaii, I try to disappear into the crowd.

Jeni Heath serves pink cupcakes.

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By Nadine Kam

I get a lot of very formal invitations in the mail, so what does it take to stand out? The 30th anniversary at Betsey Johnson postcard caught my eye because of its girly, hand-done touch, although I was a bit confused at first because I actually know someone named Betsy and immediately thought, “Oh, Betsy’s having a birthday party at Betsey Johnson,” which is just the sort of thing she’d do.

Turns out, it was 1978 when Betsey Johnson and her business partner and CEO Chantal Bacon officially launched the Betsey Johnson brand on her birthday, Aug. 10 (making her a feisty, dynamic Leo—which even explains her red mane!), and the Ala Moana Center boutique will be marking the occasion with a party from 4 to 7 p.m. tomorrow, Aug. 7. RSVP to attend at 949-3500.

The Betsey Johnson 30th anniversary exclusive sunglasses with faux pearls is $95.

Betsey is offering several birthday exclusives as well, including jewelry, T-shirts, a skull cardigan, and handbag. The items will be available from the time the boutique opens tomorrow. Only a limited number of pieces will be available. Prices range from a $18 thong to $225 for a satin and tulle stiletto shoe with faux pearls, rhinestones, heart-shaped clasp and glitter sole as befitting the designer known for equal parts edginess and girlishness. Looking forward to the next 30!

By Nadine Kam

Photos by Nadine Kam
Heidi Ribeiro, left, and Giselle Pineda, right, helped Joseph Miao and Valerie Ragaza-Miao celebrate the grand opening of the new Valerie Joseph boutique at Ala Moana Center. It was Valerie’s idea to pose with mysterious beauty icon Mona Lisa.

Some in the Twitter universe were worried when they saw the closed doors at the Valerie Joseph McCully boutique. No worries. The boutique has a new home at Ala Moana Center on the ground level fronting Kona Street on the Diamond Head side heading toward Macy’s.

Valerie Ragaza-Miao and Joseph Miao celebrated with a grand opening party Friday night after a marathon 10-day session involving breaking down a wall, glitzing up the interior and moving the last of the Ward location’s — opened just last fall — merchandise over. No doubt Valerie’s interior design skills came in handy, and having long wanted to be in the mall, Joseph is looking forward to staying in place for a while.

Honolulu magazine managing ed. Kathryn Drury Wagner with filmmaker hubby Brett, were among the party guests, as were Brie Thalman, left, and Marylea Conrad, below.

Store employees all wore black, including Chelsie Castillo, left, and Christina Say. They also wore a necklace with a pink rhinestone shoe pendant, a gift from Valerie.

It was a big night for fashion with First Fashion Friday taking place at Aloha Tower Marketplace and a fashion show at Pearl. Giselle Pineda had to leave the party early to get ready for that fashion show. Others had to leave earlier than usual for the grand opening of Elizabeth Watanabe’s Harbor Court Bistro as well which turned out to be so wall-to-wall with people I gave up trying to make my way through the crowd. I’ll go back when it’s a little saner.

By Nadine Kam

One more contest: Head to Bar 35 July 26 for the “Harajuku Lovers Live” hair and makeup competition. Ulupono salon, W-Salon, and Sanctuary Salon will be in the house with a photographer on site taking pics of all the excitement.

Hawaii Red magazine, at www.hawaiiredmagazine.com, will feature the contest winner in an upcoming issue, promising virtual immortality, second best to instant fame and notoriety.

For those who crave neither, the opportunity to gawk is also a wonderful thing. Starts at 9 p.m.

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Speaking of Harajuku Lovers, check out these cute totes/back-to-school book bags from the line: Juku in Navy, $58; Candy in Green, $95; Bishoujo in Red, $58.