Fashion incubator revives month of industry events

The Governor’s Fashion Awards will be resurrected at the culmination of the 2013 Hawaii Fashion Month in October, a month chock-full of events honoring those who clothe us and keep people employed.

It was Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s idea to bring back the awards, said Melissa White, co-founder and partner of the Hawaii Fashion Incubator, or Hifi, for short.

"He came out and said, ‘I’m going to resurrect this for Hawaii Fashion Month,’" White said. Abercrombie "and Sen. Will Espero … really, in a lot of ways, encouraged us to move forward," she said. "They gave us the push and encouragement. They’ve stood behind us."

Hifi was founded by White and partner Toby Portner in 2006 to increase the visibility, membership and impact of Hawaii’s fashion industry.

The defunct Hawaii Fashion Industry Association staged the Governor’s Fashion Awards for years. After President Carol Pregill took the helm at the Retail Merchants of Hawaii, the awards were folded into the organization’s Ho‘o­kela Awards, until 2006, said Pregill.

Now Hifi and the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism are collaborating on Hawaii Fashion Month.

"We’re not necessarily a one-for-one replacement for HFIA, but a definite shared purpose is to promote Hawaii fashion," White said.

Hifi provides resources to the industry while trying to engage the public and give people of all ages an appreciation of the fashion variety and inspiration Hawaii has to offer.

Aloha shirts and muumuus always will be part of the legacy that will be honored. Hifi also wants to bring attention to "emerging talent," said White.

"Right now is the time we’re engaging participation at all levels remotely connected to fashion, to get people to think about October as kind of a goal post," she said. "If you’re coming to Hawaii, think about coming in October; it’s going to be an exciting month."

The first week is going to be the heaviest in terms of content with visiting media and speakers, while at midmonth there are discussions in conjunction with the annual Hawaii International Film Festival.

Hawaii Fashion Month will include free public events as well as ticketed events such as a kickoff gala; a trade show for emerging designers; celebrations of the 60th anniversary of Iolani Sportswear Ltd. and the 50th anniversary of Hilo Hattie; fashion-themed versions of the Kakaako Night Market, Discover Kakaako and others; as well as an exhibition of the University of Hawaii Costume Collection.

The collection encompasses "over 20,000 pieces" reflecting 150 years of Hawaiian, Asian and other ethnic and Western fashion representing "every day clothing and accessories … that people wore," White said. "It is an amazing resource that is underutilized and undersupported. … Just not enough people know about it."

Retail Merchants leader Pregill, who is formerly of HFIA, is excited about Hifi’s strides.

The "smaller-type manufacturers and boutique-type firms … need that kind of organization, I think, more than the larger ones," she said.

She likens Hifi to the high-tech incubator in Manoa. "It’s an organization whose time has come," noting the vast difference in Hawaii’s economy since her early days at HFIA.

"Back in those days, apparel manufacturing was a huge part of the economy, much more so than right now," she said. Given the current economic picture, Hifi necessarily needs to be on a different path from HFIA’s, focused on the broader marketplace.

"And that’s going to be their challenge," she said. "They’re competing against retailers-slash-private-label-slash-large-designers. T.J.Maxx is across the street from me," she noted.

Hifi is seeking volunteers to help with Hawaii Fashion Month events as well as for its participation in the annual "Goodwill Goes Glam" event in September. Volunteer registration info can be found on the Hifi website.

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On the Net:

» hawaiifashion.org

» hawaiifashionmonth.com