new peeks: umee resort 2010

ruffled wrap * tailored sarong

chances are you have caught a glimpse of umee's recently launched resort collection lingering amongst my wonderful advertisers wooing you in the sidebar. or, perhaps you happened across the classic hawaiian shirtdress when it debuted earlier this year which was the first hint that designer deena white tearney was planning to branch out from the label's bridal beginnings (remember the little black mu'umu'u featured last year?).

island lovelies yearning for effortless everyday style will be pleased while browsing through the new lineup which is filled with sophisticated separates and charming dresses designed to go anywhere. with an eye on keeping it pretty but practical, deena seems determined to offer kama'aina the chance to dress up like the ladies from her home state of texas but with a minimum of fuss.

hints of island life have been translated into contemporary polynesian prints, tailoring traditional pacific silhouettes, and offering natural fabrications like cotton and silk to keep you cool when the humidity attempts to oppress your style.

classic hawaiian shirtdress

island dress

polynesian shorts

happily, deena is also dedicated to producing all of umee's apparel in hawaii. hooray for keeping it local!

the price tags ranges from $39 to $160 but hele over to the online shop today to knock 25% off sitewide in honor of cyber monday (plus enjoy complimentary shipping on u.s. orders!). you can also find umee styles stocked at the kahala resort and the bridal boutique.

p.s. other one day sales include 25% off catherine weitzman jewelry (secret code: share) and 24% off at maui thing (secret code: monday; expires 12a hst).

florencia arias fall/holiday 2010

zoe * eva

surprise, surprise . . . a saturday post! my brief getaway combined with our tardy thanksgiving pushed my posting schedule a little more than anticipated, but i just couldn't let the week slip by without introducing you to honolulu designer florencia arias.

florencia's eye for bold prints first caught my attention earlier this year, and the recently debuted holiday 2010 collection continues to delightfully intermix striking patterns with solid modal jersey. the line's flirty style embraces formfitting silhouettes, mini hemlines and peekaboo backs along with bright pops of colors referencing the designer's argentina roots, southern california fashion studies, and adopted island home. 

chloe * olivia

fall 2010 loveliness

the label is happily made in hawaii with the price tag topping out under $100. working with smaller quantities of fabric makes sell out risk high as evidenced by the sparse selection of the fall 2010 lineup which is already sold out in quite a few styles.

if your sunday afternoon is free, florencia will be previewing her new designs during a holiday trunk show at drift tomorrow. enjoy 10% off holiday looks plus past season styles will be marked down 20-to-50% off.

• when: sun, nov 28th - 4p to 6p
• where: drift, 3434 waialae avenue, suite 4, kaimuki

unable to stop by and say hello? holiday 2010 should arrive in the online shop soon or pop by your neighborhood stockist to browse the collection.

aloha friday scoop: black friday edition

hello! our trip home from san diego took twice as long as expected (new favorites: prepkitchen in del mar which whips up a dee-licious salted caramel, pecan & fudge brownie plus the very hearty breakfasts at café 222 in the gaslamp), but here are a few black friday highlights from the shops & designers who kindly sent along sale peeks earlier this week.

the indie merchants of chinatown have gathered together for a one day downtown shop around featuring bargains galore at fashionista's market, fighting eel, roberta oaks and super citizen.

• when: fri, nov 26th - 8a to 6p
• where: participating shops, chinatown arts district

pop by drift and save 20% off jewelry by stoney seas plus solid bikinis from urgentina, the in-house swimwear line, will be marked down to $20 (or go couture for $75).

• when: fri, nov 26th - 1p to 6p
• where: 3434 waialae avenue, suite 4, kaimuki

queue up early if you are hoping for eden in love's big score since the doorbuster discount of the day, 40% off your entire purchase, gets smaller as the sun rises in the sky.

• when: fri, nov 26th - 9a to 9p
• where: ward warehouse (next to the wedding café)

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misa jewelry lauhala collection

statement

the debut of a new misa jewelry collection is always a happy day. designer misa hamamoto's modern approach to crafting gorgeous adornment is one of my constant crushes so i am delighted to welcome the lovely lauhala collection and its instantly recognizable woven construction.

from delicate coral under the sea to faraway shimmer in the starry skies above, misa is an expert at editing out the unneccesary details so your eye goes straight to the essence of the design without any distractions. this time around misa found inspiration in a simple lauhala gift box but stripped away the heaviness that often results when transforming the traditional weaving style into a piece of jewelry.

the result is an airy, open weave that almost seems to float while the addition of tiny chainlink and mixed metals retain a hint of modern day armor.

disc

chain

the lauhala looks are priced from $205 to $295 and are offered in a handful of variations in gold vermeil, sterling silver, and a mingling of the two metals.

take a peek at the entire collection in the online shop or, if you call the islands, los angeles or guam home, click over to the stockist list and locate your neighborhood boutique.

p.s. i will be offline for the next few days but check in after your thanksgiving feast for a roundup of black friday sales from our favorite local designers and shops. wishing you & your 'ohana a lovely holiday!

aloha friday scoop

missed out on fashionista's market buy 1, get 1 $20 gift certificate sale? lucky you, a few more are up for grabs!

• when: now to sat, nov 20th - 10:30a to 6:30p
• where: 1185 bethel street, chinatown
• fyi: available in-store only (phone orders welcome)

save 20% off lanikai bath & body's decadent body butters in-store and online (enter secret code grateful at checkout).

• when: now to thu, nov 25th
• where: 767 kailua road
• shop hours: mon to fri, 10a to 6p | sat, 10a to 5p | sun, 10a to 4p (closed thanksgiving day)

lily lotus hosts a trunk show of ancient adornments handmade by jewelry by justine and maya papaya. enjoy 20-to-30% off new styles and iced chai while you shop.

• when: sat, nov 20th - 10a to 4p
• where: 1127 12th avenue, kaimuki
• fyi: early birds shopping between 10a to 11a score an extra 10% off!

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