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.

Marisa Miller and Kirk Caldwell before the maile cutting.

Miller is even thinner than you’d imagine by looking at her Victoria’s Secret photographs, and in a brief interview said she was fortunate to have been discovered while surfing nine years ago by fashion photographer Mario Testino. After that she was chose for Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit edition, and because many SI photographers also shoot for VS, she was recommended to the brand and has been with them for seven years.

The job entails whirlwind travel, flying in and out of cities in a day. Nevertheless, she makes time for her personal life and marriage of three-and-a-half years.

“Whatever it takes, you make it work,” she said, though the constant travel “keeps everything fun. When you come home it’s like meeting each other all over again.”

The first girls in line peek through the glass doors, hoping for a photo of Marisa.

She describes her work for VS as being “larger than life” due to the combination of fashion shows, store openings, photo sessions and fan reception. “You become a household name, instantly recognized by fans.”

With that comes responsibility to the brand.

“I’m approached a lot by women and to get their compliments is exciting. To be seen as a healthy role model is the biggest compliment I can receive.”

Just for us.

In the Pink section.

On a Fashion Week-related note, Victoria’s Secret had one of the most exclusive and best private lounges (otherwise, Hawaii has New York beat when it comes to hospitality), where I got a manicure and massage while noshing on Caesar salad, steak and shrimp. I dropped in on the last day of the shows, at 3 p.m. Sept. 17 to see if I could pick up any news in advance of the Hawaii opening, when who should walk in but Hilary Duff!

Unfortunately, with privacy being the key word, I wasn’t allowed to take a photo of her, but memorized what she was wearing: a long leopard-print sweater, belted, with shiny black leggings and Louboutin stiletto-heel boots. I tried to find a photo of her online but found instead that she has a tendency to wear a lot of leopard print, red and Louboutins.

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 1st, 2009 at 4:27 pm and is filed under beauty, swimsuit, NYFW-S/S2010, People, International fashion, Shop, Face, Shopping events. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.