aloha gillia!

while paging through the june issue of lucky, i was intrigued to find a summer getaway packing guide including a cheat sheet for hawai'i. all the expected fixings were featured . . . with the exception of any lucky love for local designers. to be fair, the suggestions were so travelers arrive at their destination with something suitable to wear, but my feathers remain slightly ruffled that faraway fashion editors continue to overlook all the style goodness being created in the islands.

one peek at gillia's lookbook may change their perception. every gorgeous offering is made with the pacific in mind with flirty silhouettes bound for your daily runway of playdates in the city and bonfires on the beach. style after style had me at hello courtesy of gillia's simple confections mingling bohemian details, breathtaking patterns, and a blush of color.

a stint at a waikiki boutique brought the ladies behind the label together who recently reunited when head designer saori suzuki returned from japan and reconnected with gillia co-founder mayo kawamura to launch the line. with design help from saori's sister yuko, the influence of the siblings' home country can be found throughout the restrained offerings which embrace the laidback lifestyle of the islands with a carefree cast of tropical must-haves.

get ready to sigh after the jump!

amengena robe

luxor halter dress

amengena romper

golden sands ruffle dress

in-the-know island lovelies started flocking to gillia since before its official june launch so online shop selections are a bit spare at the moment.

price tag falls between $116 for a tie-dye beauty to $238 for a slinky silk frock. if you covet a pacific pretty, your best bet is to hele over to your neighborhood stockist (including becca beach, guava shop & olive boutique). mayo tipped me off that summer 2011 deliveries are making their way around the islands this week and styles are expected to sell out as quickly as they arrive on the racks.

picking just one favorite look seems impossible at the moment . . . are you most smitten with the billowy gowns, cute rompers, or fetching tunics?

Comments

[Joanne]

I Love Lucky Mag, but I HATED that article. The outfits in the spread were so tacky and very un-stylish for a fashion mag. I was offended by it's stereotype Did not represent Hawaii at all-- I really don't think those following their packing guide will be happy when they arrive in Hawaii and see how people really do dress. Oh, well. STILL love the magazine.

[Tara]

Wow, such great prints on all of those pieces! I know it is sad editors rarely feature Hawaiian designers, but try not to take it too hard. Half of the time in magazines we don't even realize what we are being fed all comes down to money. The products of companies that can afford to advertise in the magazines usually get top picks.

[leigh]

aloha joanne! so happy i was not the only one who noticed lucky's vision of hawaii. on the bright side, i am inspired to experiment with something new. (soon!)

& hello tara! 'tis unfortunate that only a small handful of readers understand the behind-the-scenes machinations of fashion glossy coverage, but hooray for all the fashion bloggers who follow their hearts!