Daydream Believers

Late spring is always an exciting time as student designers emerge from the classroom and bring their skills and vision to the marketplace. We never know whether there’s a future Alexander Wang or Nicolas Ghesquiere in the bunch until we set our eyes on the senior fashion shows.

This year, the 48th annual University of Hawaii Senior Fashion Show, "Reverie: Daydreams Set Adrift," will take place April 27 at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa.

The event, presented by the Fashion Design and Merchandising Program, will feature collections by seven junior designers and seven senior designers, plus two special categories:

»"Reinvented Culture," which encourages sustainable design through use of recycled materials with a modern folklore sensibility suggesting the strength of tradition despite change.

» "Rational Science" focuses on a future incorporating wearable technology and LED lights.

Here’s a tease to the senior collections, modeled by Leilani Chow, below, and Hayley Hisaka, right.

CONQUISTA

by Amanda Casarez

Casarez, who grew up in Michoacan in southern Mexico, draws on her ethnic and cultural heritage to design a bold runway collection of sleek couture pieces inspired by traditional Mexican silhouettes such as the men’s charro suit, interpreted for women in glamorous evening jackets and mock riding pants.

Her ensembles include casual daywear incorporating a print she created based on a Mexican tile. Her expertise is evident in details such as the playful simplicity of pleated pockets on denim shorts and the theatricality of pleated sleeves on a cropped charro jacket.

She amped up the drama for the runway but her everyday aesthetic is still geared toward tailored clothing.

"I like clothing that has a really strong presence, that makes you stand out."

REDAMANCY

by Sarah Yamashige

Love and romance are reflected in Yamashige’s lavish collection, the name of which means "a love returned in full." The romance took her by surprise.

It’s almost as if she was working under a spell.

"I really like the handwork of lace and beading, and I like tailored pieces, but once I started working, it got so romantic," she said. "I made a wedding dress in October, and I think that led me to the Victorian inspiration and the very romantic.

"It’s ostentatious for my taste and it’s bringing me out of my comfort zone, but sometimes there’s just something in your head that you have to get out."

SALUTE

by Ashley Castro

If "Project Runway" embraced only unconventional materials challenges, Castro would own the show.

"I’m all about using different things," she said about her garments featuring structured lines with the modern twist of found objects, from placemats (as shown in bodice above) to loofahs to EKG electrodes.

She grew up with an artistic streak and D.I.Y. ethic that expressed itself through fashion when she designed clothing for band members and fellow students during high school. "All my life I liked the idea of taking the simplest things and turning them into something amazing."

Her current collection features feminine military designs with her unique personal touches, although she’s the least likely to wear the pieces.

"I wish I was that dramatic but I’m simpler when it comes to my own style."

CAFE NOIR

by Chelsea Otsuka

Feeling that people need a break from the quick and stressful pace of city life, Otsuka aims to slow time down and perhaps reverse the clock through her "Cafe Noir" collection of classic, timeless styles that manage to be both conservative and modern.

Relaxed fits, soft florals, easy skirts and blouses that reveal little skin have a leisurely ambience perfect for whiling away an afternoon in a cafe.

WIND SWEPT

by Tori Speere

Speere grew up on Maui and upon moving to Oahu, found people dress up more here. But she never lost her love of casual, free-spirited clothing.

The designer, who identifies with the bohemia of the Free People clothing brand, would have been perfectly at home in the 1970s with her collection of comfortable, flowing and romantic designs incorporating soft prints and vintage lace and crochet.

"Wind Swept" conjures imagery of flower children dancing in a field of daisies, and Speere delivers pretty dresses, palazzo pants and cropped tops of lace, to which the young, and not so young, could relate.

DEAD FILM STAR

by Camille Lanier

Lanier plays with print, color and textures to create menswear that helps wearers stand apart from the crowd. Her collection shows an appreciation for 1920s suiting, simple lines and modern cuts, with a vintage feel from floral textiles and substantive textures.

Subtle glamour registers with the richness of Chinese and East Indian inspiration.

"I love menswear, the simplicity of lines and the way it fits," she said. "So far, I’ve gotten really good response to my collection because it’s something really different. It’s not for the everyday person, but it has that everyday sense to it because it’s very wearable."

CHRISTINE OM HAUTE COUTURE

by Christine Om

Moving to Hawaii from her native Korea during high school was a shock to the system for Om, who was surprised by how casually people dress here compared with the trendy urban style favored back home.

"I would be very overdressed if I dressed the way I did in Korea."

The one thing that did impress her was the formal elegance of high school proms. "There’s nothing like that in Korea so I was very excited."

The idea of the high school formal stuck with her and has inspired her collection of evening gowns and cocktail dresses fusing traditional Korean and Western elements.

The result is stunning experimental haute couture in black and white with painted print effects.