aloha friday scoop

luckily for my weakened state, today's scoop is short and sweet. enjoy!

stop by mu'umu'u heaven on sunday during kailua's art walk for the opening reception of emerging island artist ryan greely.

• when: sun, sep 12th - 3p to 5p
• where: 767 kailua road, kailua
• show dates: sun, sep 12th to sun, oct 10th

take your pick from a curated selection of cloth's vintage goods during its monthly pop-up shop.

p.s. purchase $10 worth of popCLOTH style and save 10% off a session with cheyne at firebird photography!

• when: mon, sep 13th - 5p to 9p
• where: honolulu design center, 1250 kapiolani blvd

online, click over to beauty & the beach which is making way for new looks by marking down past season stock by 20 to 80% off.

• expires: while supplies last

happy weekend to you & yours!

project runway recap: what's mine is yours

resort designs by andy south & ivy higa

goodness, my september has been filled with a succession of ailments, but i managed to buck up and shake off my latest malaise to watch project runway last night.

considering our two hawaii designers grew up in one of the world's most visited island destinations, one would think andy south and ivy higa would have had last night's resortwear challenge in the bag. until tim gunn walked into the workroom and announced that, in addition to their design duties, they would be handing off their sketches and fabric and focusing their efforts on producing another contestant's look (andy was paired with valerie and ivy was matched with michael d.).

quelle surprise!

andy's maillot & wrap * ivy's tank & skirt

andy: make it work! | judgement day | video diary

ivy: make it work! | judgement day | michael kors' take | video diary

and, the designers dish on their favorites to win the challenge.

are you still 100% behind andy and ivy or do you find yourself fancying another designer after the recent on-screen shenanigans?

{photo credit: barbara nitke, lifetime television}

introducing michele lau

hello all! hope your weekend was filled with lots of leisurely diversions and lazy moments. it's overcast and gray in my part of the world which is perfect weather for clicking through my backlog of emails in what seems to be a neverending attempt to tidy up my digital life. while scouting for something to share today, serendipity came a-calling and i happened across a recent dailycandy feature of local girl turned brooklyn-based designer michele lau who introduced a capsule collection of handbags last fall.

the appropriately named line, laulau, is designed to prettily corral the hodge podge of necessities carried by ladies-on-the-go. bags are constructed with pockets to keep your belongings tidy while also offering two sets of handles for added carrying versatility. the tie-up tote in particular hints of michele's island roots with a shape reminiscent of a pu'olo (a ti leaf bundle made to keep lei fresh and transport goods) but crafted of denim, linen and canvas.

tie-up tote

the price tag ranges from $48 to $ 145 depending on the design, and all bags are made to order with a two week turnaround time. you can preview and purchase the collection on the official website or click over to etsy to add laulaunyc to your favorites.

p.s. michele also keeps a blog filled with musings and inspiration from the big city.

aloha friday scoop

shop the butik's labor day sale and save up to 50% off storewide.

• when: fri/sat, sep 3rd & 4th - 11a to 7p + sun/mon, sep 5th & 6th - 12p to 5p
• where: 1067 kapiolani blvd, suite a-3

meet cloth designer micah iaukea and her fabulous vintage reconstructions at the local label's debut trunk show.

• when: sat, sep 4th - 1p to 4p
• where: split obsession, ala moana

hele over to etown to stock up on in-house designers organik and meesah and save 20% off your purchase.

• when: fri, sep 3rd - 'til 9p, sat, sep 4th - 11a to 4p & mon, sep 6th - 11a to 6:30p
• where: 1164 smith street, chinatown

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project runway: you can totally wear that again

andy south & ivy higa's wedding belles

considering i am guilty as charged for telling my one wedding maiden that her dress, with a simple alteration, could be more than a one night look, last night's project runway challenge hit a little close to home. the models had a little runway holiday while former bridesmaids surprised the designers and happily relinquished a collection of satin, bowed and shimmering frocks for some reconstruction fun.

local boy andy south offered one of the biggest transformations by dying what was once a periwinkle cocktail dress to create a sassy bustier (constructed of elastic) and shorts combo. ivy higa opted to transform a white floor length gown into stylish tuxedo capris paired with a flowy silk blouse.

andy south's before & sketchbook

ivy south's before & sketchbook

i must apologize for the poor quality of the before photos. i was hard pressed to find suitable images and resorted to snapping pictures off my non-hd pr recording, but thought it would help if you had a hint of what the designers had to work with.

andy: make it work! | video diary

ivy: make it work! | video diary

plus, more behind-the-scenes drama and gossip in the designers dish.

do you have any bridesmaid atrocities hiding in your closet? and, are you surprised at the level of animosity towards michael c.?

{photo credit: barbara nitke, lifetime television}