International and Hawaii designers showcased their latest designs during the sold-out runway shows at HONOLULU Fashion Week presented by Hawaiian Airlines, Nov. 20-22, 2015. Visiting designers included Todd Snyder from New York, ELLERY from Sydney, LIE SANGBONG from Seoul and AULA from Tokyo. These designers joined Hawaii’s Kaypee Soh in the presentation of capsule collections during Hawaiian Airlines presents Runway to Runway, a show inspired by the fashionable destinations serviced by presenting sponsor Hawaiian Airlines.
Special guest Fern Mallis, the creator of New York Fashion Week, declared HONOLULU Fashion Week: “a fashion week with legs” and said she hopes to attend again next year.
Harold Koda, The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute curator-in-charge, said: “What’s exciting about HONOLULU Fashion Week is that it suggests that there is enough critical mass here—a lot of local talent in Hawaii—to stage such an event.”
The event’s signature show, Live Aloha, celebrated the diverse range and talent of Hawaii-based designers. The lineup of more than 25 Hawaii designers included: Andy South, Bliss Lau, Florencia Arias, Language of the Birds, Malia Jones, Matt Bruening, Reyn Spooner, Roberta Oaks and Sig Zane to name a few. Get Out! was a playful show that featured Hawaii’s surf- and streetwear. Local designers included Allison Izu, Cameron Hawaii, Ink & Tailor, In4mation, Jana Lam, Kini Zamora, Meleana, Moon Collective, Salt Liko and more.
Other special guests included Hawaii-born, internationally known models Keke Lindgard and Travis Trigger Smith, and Argentine-Japanese fashion model Jessica Michibata.
“It’s a really exciting time for fashion in Hawaii, and in addition to spotlighting our homegrown talents, we wanted to celebrate the influence Hawaii has had on designers around the world,” said Alyson Helwagen, executive director of HONOLULU Fashion Week and publisher of HONOLULU Magazine, which created and produced the event. “Most of the world is familiar with the aloha shirt, which is an important part of our fashion evolution, but our mission is to share with the world that Hawaii fashion goes beyond the Hawaiian-print dress and shirt.”
All runway shows and events for HONOLULU Fashion Week were curated by a team of internationally respected fashion industry heavyweights who were raised in Hawaii, including Lynne O’Neill, executive producer, HONOLULU Fashion Week; Don Sumada, fashion show stylist; Roman Young, creative director, Wilhelmina International; and Bobby Gutierrez, image/celebrity manager, Wilhelmina Models, NYC.
