Two local businesses are about to get exposure before some of the most important eyeballs ever.
Anne Namba Designs Inc. and Hilo Hattie will share their wares with the Association of Image Consultants International, which stages its annual conference Thursday through Sunday at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa.
Image consultants teach clients about appearance and the way they present themselves in professional situations, among other things. Their counsel is designed to support a client’s success. Said counsel almost always includes instruction on how to dress for success — which is why it is such a coup for the local clothing-centric businesses to have exclusive audiences with the mostly female membership.
Namba, designer and president of her eponymous fashion house, has done these sorts of fashion shows before, "but I wouldn’t say it’s common," she said. Such fashion shows often are staged for the spouses of convention attendees, but presenting to the image consultants "is perfect. This is what they do," she said.
Namba’s kimono-inspired and, in some cases, kimono- and obi-emblazoned clothing for women and men has traveled the world on the backs of such luminaries as Elizabeth Taylor, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, ballet legend Mikhail Baryshnikov, Olympic medalist Kristi Yamaguchi and more.
Namba regularly takes traveling trunk shows to large markets across the country, where she has large followings.
As it happens, she will stage a fashion show for the Junior League prior to the convention that is right up an image consultant’s alley. "I’m going to show them five basic looks, showing them how to dress it up or down," she said. "What I’m trying to do is change people’s buying habits," she said. "A woman will say, ‘I already have black pants,’ but wearing the wrong black pants with an outfit will kill the whole look."
Another segment will have two models demonstrate how to get a sporty or elegant look, using the same jacket. The ending will feature her "signature best-seller" bustiers worn five different ways, from bluejeans to evening gown, "so the image consultants are going to come to the show and see that," she said.
Namba won’t have to hire models for her conference fashion show, as some attendees will serve as the models.
"The majority of the time, the people modeling (an outfit) will buy it," she said. "Or, their co-members or friends will, thinking to themselves. ‘She looks wonderful but I’d look better,’" Namba said with a laugh.
Hilo Hattie, on the other hand, does this sort of thing regularly, through partnerships with hotel concierges and the Hawai‘i Convention Center.
When conventioneers "can’t get out to the store, we’ll bring the store out to their venue," said Hilo Hattie spokeswoman Tanya Ventar.
This time though, the convention-goers will have it both ways.
Hilo Hattie will have a pop-up store for the image consultants stocked with men’s aloha shirts, women’s blouses, pareaus and packaged goods, including macadamia nuts and other gift items.
"Friday we’re picking them up at the hotel and bringing them to our store to shop," said Ventar. Guests will see hula performances and can take part in lei-making demonstrations and, of course, shop before going to dinner at Sam Choy’s Breakfast, Lunch & Crab.
Conference-goers will be able to attend the event-capping "Hawaiian attire" awards gala resplendent in their new purchases.
As for the conference itself, scheduled speakers are from Asia, Australia, England, India — and from Hawaii, Penelope Paik, whose topic is "Civility Rules in Social Media."
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Reach Erika Engle at 529-4303, erika@staradvertiser.com or on Twitter as @erikaengle.
