pau hana clicks

• it was a good week for emerging island designers with shannon hiramoto of machine machine and dan weaver both scoring feature ink in the local papers.

• drying laundry outdoors is so old school and making a comeback as the world gets a little bit greener. kat from our adventures in japan and rowena of rubber slippers in italy show readers the contraptions used to dry the wash in their homes away from hawaii.

• week seven of sytycd finds mark kanemura paired with comfort for hip hop and a foxtrot plus a solo!

have a happy weekend!

nina kuna designs

the lovely nina kuna recently dropped me a note about her new jewelry collection, and, after a peek, i was pleasantly surprised to discover that the self-taught designer only launched her line last winter.

originally based in nyc and sf, nina now calls maui home where, in between assignments as a freelance photographer, she composes her glamorous line of adornments featuring hand hammered shapes, interlinking strands of gold filled wire, and an array of findings from swarovski crystals to delicate sea shells.

nina's background in painting and drawing combined with her stint at parsons to study photography definitely brings an artist's eye to her designs which effortlessly balance color, shape and symmetry. the freshman collection has already caught the attention of macy's buyers and the editors of modern luxury hawai'i who have been captivated by the line's big city sophistication meets beach chic style.

lemon drop * heavy metal * crystal blue coral

the online shop is now open for business or stop by your neighborhood stockist to take a peek at the collection in person.

p.s. go on location with nina over at her blog.

sig zane summer sale

sig zane is kicking off a two day summer sale today which is a rare chance to save 25% off everything in your shopping bag (including the recently featured kai palaoa collection)!

big island peeps are invited to stop by the hilo shop for the in-store sale experience.

fyi - the online inventory usually sells like hotcakes so hele over asap for the best selection.

• when: today @ 9a hst to sat, jul 26th - 4p hst
• where: 122 kamehameha avenue, hilo

shivhon rug collection

lawai

hawaiian style rugs are not known for pushing the design envelope and seem to be content to stick to a more traditional mosaic of patterns stuck in a time warp of 80s pastels and garden variety borders. so let's just say it was a good day when i happened upon shivhon's lovely tibetan rugs with its delightful mix of updated tropical goodness.

the eponymous collection belongs to haleiwa interior designer shirley shivhon who, frustrated with the lack of contemporary designs for her projects, jumped into the world of rug making after meeting a small community of tibetan weavers during a trip to nepal. those same artisans now practice their craft to create shivhon's rugs which employ tibet's traditional and labor intensive hand-knotting technique.

the result: designs that retain the feel of being translated straight from the sketchbook nixing absolute perfection to embrace a more wabi-sabi aesthetic. i am loving shivhon's understated designs, from island abstracts to painterly motifs, any of which would make the perfect backdrop in a modern island style home. and, since each rug is made to order, you have the chance to guide the design process and configure the shape and colorway to best compliment your space.

ulu

kapa

 hopu

paradise blossom

the heirloom quality rugs start at $1500 and go up from there depending on the fiber (silk or wool) and size, and have an estimated turnaround time of 8 to 12 weeks depending on the complexity of the design and dimensions (custom sizes up to 20x20 are available).

love what you see? hele over to the bella pietra showroom in honolulu and kailua-kona to take a peek at the collection.

wings hawaii summer 2008

the lazy days of summer are just perfect for all the pretty things made by wings hawaii. the loop terry hoodie is a cute lightweight coverup for early mornings at the beach and to keep the chill off when the sun sets.

alas, it appear to be sold out online but a stock check with designer samantha howard revealed that the shop has hoodies in the following colorways - brown/mermaid print & white/fern print. contact the shop to inquire about size availability. (running shorts & tank are available online)

and, a wings show and tell would not be complete without a peek of the latest handcrafted accessories:

1 - the sunwing belt is already on my wishlist and features wing's signature design on the brass buckle. belts are made to order so send along your pant size for a perfect fit.

2 - wing's lucky line of island amulets will be an instant hit with all your friends waiting for a wish to come true.

3 - puka teardrop earrings put a tropical twist on a classic design.

4 - make like a mermaid and adorn yourself with the simple yet stunning sunrise shell bangle.

shop online or when on maui take a trip upcountry and hit the wings showroom:

• where: 375 west kuiaha road, haiku
• shop hours: mon to fri, 9a to 4p & sat/sun, 9a to 1p

{update | may 2011: wings moved its flagship shop to lovely little paia town last year and can now be found at 71 baldwin avenue}